A day after blasts, police probe Lashker connection

A day after blasts, police probe Lashker connection
Wednesday, May 25, 2005 13:55 IST
By Santa Banta News Network
A day after two blasts kicked up fears of a return of terror to the capital, police are probing whether the outlawed Lashker-e-Taiba had a hand in Sunday's explosions in cinema halls that killed one person and injured nearly 60.

Even as investigations were going on into the blasts at the Liberty cinema hall and Satyam multiplex, which were screening the controversial movie "Jo Bole So Nihaal", a minor "purse bomb" explosion injured one person early Monday in northeast Delhi's Nandnagri.

Police are probing whether a suspected Lashker-e-Taiba guerrilla arrested in the capital late Sunday night was linked to the cinema hall blasts. The arrested person - Mohammad Ishaq Ittoo - had on him 5.5 kg of RDX explosives and two detonators and Rs.250,000 in cash.

"Mohammad Irshad Ittoo of Lashkar-e-Taiba was arrested last night and 5.5 kg RDX recovered from his possession," Delhi Police Commissioner K. K. Paul reporters Monday.

"Nothing can be said till the forensic report determines various aspects of the blasts. As of now, it is not clear whether Ittoo was involved in the blasts," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Ashok Chand said.

"Preliminary investigations by our experts show the bombs contained plastic explosives, which are used by militants. There were no shrapnel or splinter injuries from the bombs. Instead, it was the impact of explosions that caused casualties," a police official said.

However, Sunday's blasts - for which no group has claimed responsibility - sent a wave of panic across the capital. Barricades were erected on the main roads so that policemen could check cars, while railway stations, the airport and other vital installations were put on alert.

Police officials said there was no cause for panic.

Many theatres across the country reportedly pulled the film "Jo Bole..." as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited victims in hospital early Monday. The blasts occurred on the first anniversary of Singh's government.

"We do not know when things will get to normal. The police are here round the clock. We have not even started assessing the extent of the damage caused the blast," said O.P. Sharma, the manager of Liberty cinema.
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