Pune police commissioner Satya Pal Singh blamed the German Bakery staff and patrons for ignoring the bag containing the explosives for a full 90 minutes.
Pune police commissioner Satya Pal Singh blamed the German Bakery staff and patrons for ignoring the bag containing the explosives for a full 90 minutes.
Singh was speaking at a rally attended by over 1,000 in the city on Saturday morning.
This is the first time that the police commissioner was making a public statement on the matter.
Citing this example, Singh appealed to people for greater vigilance and said that this was the only way to avert tragedies like the German Bakery blast.
Singh said that a waiter had seen the bag and informed the cashier, who did not pay heed to the matter. According to Singh, the cashier responded only 20 minutes later and informed yet another waiter, who too did not respond.
“Barely 20 minutes later, the bomb exploded there. I am sure that if the German Bakery staff and its patrons had exercised more awareness, the blast could have been prevented and so many innocent lives could have been saved,” Singh said.
Singh said that the Pune police had been making frequent appeals to its citizens to remain alert and cautious of suspicious people and movements.
Reiterating his earlier comments on the matter, Singh said, “Given the fact that German bakery was frequented by foreigners, we had informed the management to be doubly alert and install security infrastructure. But they did not pay heed to our advice.”
“We policemen cannot be available at every school, college and hotel in the city. The people of the city need to become more vigilant and alert,” Singh said.
State Anti-Terror Squad chief KP Raghuvanshi said the investigations are progressing and they hope to crack the case soon. “We are examining it from all possible angles, nothing is being ruled out. But I will not speculate on whom we suspect. As soon as we are through, it (details) shall be made public,” Raghuvanshi said.
So far, over 100 suspects have been questioned and allowed to go.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Pune residents, including foreigners and students from scores of colleges participated in ‘nirbhayta’ (fearless) rallies in different parts of the city Saturday. They paid homage to those killed in the blast and took a pledge not to be cowed down by terror threats.
With inputs from IANS
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}