Explosives recovered from Byculla station

MUMBAI: A crude bomb was found at the Byculla railway station in Central Mumbai on Saturday and was defused at the nearby Girgaum Chowpatty beach.

Anti-Terrorist Squad received an anonymous call around 10 am saying that a suspicious object was lying in the gents toilet at platform number one for the past few hours.

The bomb detection and disposal squad rushed to the station and removed it immediately to Girgaum Chowpatty where it was defused through a controlled explosion, police said.

On being blown up, the device created a small crater in the sands.

Joint Commissioner of Police in ATS Jaideep Singh said the explosive appeared to be a crude bomb as it caused a small explosion while defused.  After it was defused, samples were collected and sent to forensic laboratory for examination, he said.

Police in the entire metropolitan city, particularly at places of worship and vital installations were put on high alert following the recent twin blasts at Varanasi.

Security in and around railway stations, bus depots and airports were further tightened following recovery of the bomb today, police said.

Last month, three terrorists from Jammu and Kashmir, allegedly having links with Laskhar-e-Toiba, were arrested from the busy Nagpada area of South Mumbai which is very close to the Byculla station.