13/7: Dadar bomb was planted for maximum damage: ATS

Maharashtra ATS today said that the low-intensity bomb that exploded atop a bus stop at Dadar on the fateful July 13 last year was planted by terrorists to cause maximum damage, similar to what they sought to do at Surat in August 2008.

"The reason for planting the low intensity explosive atop the bus stop in Dadar was to cause maximum property damage and claim maximum lives," an ATS official said here today.

One person was killed and 14 wounded in the bomb blast at Dadar on July 13. Two more bombs of higher intensity exploded in Zaveri Bazaar and Opera House, taking total number of deaths in the blasts to 27.

The bomb planted at Dadar bus stop was of low intensity and if it were planted at some other place near the ground or in a motorcycle, the damage would have been minimal, the official said.

"Because the terrorists wanted to cause as much damage as possible, they planted it atop the bus stop, like the way the bombs were planted in Surat," the official added.

As many as 25 bombs were found to have been planted in Surat in August 2008 and some of which were hanging from trees or hidden inside hoardings to cause maximum damage. Though, none of them went off.

Maharashtra ATS has on Monday claimed a breakthrough in the 13/7 blasts probe, with the arrest of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen's alleged members Naqi Ahmed and Nadeem Akhtar from the city, but withheld the names of the two planters of the bombs whom it referred to only as wanted accused 'A' and 'B'.