Pune serial blasts: Hours after explosions, theories galore

Hours after a series of low intensity blasts took place and a bomb was deactivated on half-km-long stretch of Jungli Maharaj road on Wednesday, a number of theories galore about the incident.

Although Pune’s police commissioner Gulabrao Pol had firmly stated that the blast is not an act of terrorism, experts from the field of security and anti terrorism feel that the well orchestrated nature of the blasts indicate involvement of a terror group.

Here are a few theories that the experts have come up with:

‘Dry run for major terrorist events’
Former director general of police SS Virk feels that these blasts might be a dry run for major terrorist events in the future. “Low intensity blasts have to be taken quite serious as they are an indication of deep rooted terror organizations. At times these organizations do not aim to create collateral damage but want their presence felt,” he said.

‘Pune now a think tank of terror groups’
Pune’s tryst with terror and violence goes way back to Gen Arun Kumar Vaidya’s assassination. Moreover, on several occasions since 1990s’ the city has been found to be harbouring the think tank of both Hindu and Muslim terror organizations. “These think tanks were responsible for the execution of acts of terror elsewhere. The low intensity blast may be a signature from one of those groups to re-establish their presence in Pune,” Virk said.

‘Act by IM to avenge Qateel’s death’
Police and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officers say that the blasts might be a handiwork of Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives wanting to avenge the murder of Qaateel Siddiqui at Yerawada jail in June. They point out that the modus operandi of using bicycles to plant bombs was used by IM in blasts at Surat, Jaipur, Allahabad and Varanasi in the past. Besides, choice of establishments like Mcdonalds and KFC is being viewed as a pointer towards multinational interests.

‘Blasts might be a job of Naxal organisations’
Some police officials are pondering over the link of Naxal organizations with the blasts. A police officer said, “In the recent past, many Naxal groups had made their presence felt in Pune. At least 11 suspected naxals were arrested in the region in the last year and posters demanding release of people arrested for alleged links with Naxal organizations were also put up at various places in the city a few days ago.”

‘Right wing Hindu groups behind blasts’
Some police officials feel that even the right wing Hindu groups might be involved in the blasts. They point out that several residents of Pune including Lt Col Prasad Purohit who were alleged to be the members of radical outfit Abhinav Bharat have already been arrested in Malegaon blasts, where cycles were used to plant bomb.