Thirteen men and one woman planted the bombs, says police

They worked in pairs and were dressed in formals to avoid suspicion, say police.

MUMBAI: Fourteen persons, including a woman, planted the bombs that ripped through seven local train carriages on Tuesday, police investigations so far have established.

It is still not clear of what material the bombs were made, but a black briefcase containing RDX, an electronic timer, and other explosives has been recovered from the blast site at Khar.

“The 14 worked in pairs so as to not arouse suspicion,” a senior police officer told DNA. “The mastermind, who hired them, fled the country the same night.”

An inquiry has been initiated into how the mastermind evaded customs and immigration checks at Sahar airport in the wake of instructions to block all exits from the country after the blasts.

An investigating officer said the mastermind recruited the couriers with the lure of money and brainwashed them. The couriers were dressed in formal attire with the men wearing ties to look like typical first-class commuters. They concealed the bombs in black suitcases.

Police believe they planted the bombs after boarding the trains at Churchgate station and alighted at Bombay Central and Dadar stations. “They acted in pairs to avoid arousing suspicion,” the officer said. “The one bearing the suitcase got off at Bombay Central and the other at Dadar. If an alert passenger asked the one who got off at Bombay Central why he was leaving his suitcase behind, the accomplice would have claimed to be the owner of the suitcase.”

Police believe the plan for the blasts was hatched way back in 2003 after the arrests of the accused in the Ghatkopar, Zaveri Bazaar and Gateway blasts.