'Govt. has taken Pune blasts very seriously': Shinde

New Delhi, Aug 2 (ANI): Asserting that the government has taken the Pune blasts very seriously, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Thursday said a probe is underway.

Shinde said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on the Pune blasts, as the investigations were underway.

"We will investigate and then say anything," he told media persons here. Shinde, who took over the charge of Home Ministry from P. Chidambaram yesterday, said a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team is in Pune to investigate the explosions that struck the city last night. Shinde also presided over a high-level meeting today to assess the security situation in the country following last night's blasts.

Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh earlier today said there was definitely a planning behind the four low-intensity blasts that took place within a one-kilometer range in Pune, and added that the unexploded IEDs are being investigated thoroughly.

Singh said he would not reveal too many details about the incident, but emphasized the fact that the attack unfolded within a five kilometer radius in a duration of 45 minutes showed that it was well-planned.

"I stand by what I said last night. What I said last night is even though the explosions were very small, the very fact that they happened in a radius of less than a kilometer, may be a radius of 500 meters, and the very fact that it happened within a duration of 45 minutes shows that there was planning behind it," said Singh. "And therefore, we are investigating it thoroughly and we will investigate it thoroughly," he added.

Singh said teams of National Investigation Agency, National Security Guards and Central Forensic Science Laboratory reached Pune early this morning and were examining the explosives.

"The NIA team, our special team and the NSG post-blast investigation team; they are all there. And they examined the two IEDs, which have not exploded. Those IEDs had three detonators each and there are some other peculiarities, which have they communicated to us. Further investigations are on and we are making progress," he added.

The Home Secretary had earlier on Wednesday said the terror angle cannot be ruled out in the Pune explosions, as it appears to be planned attack.

Pune Police Commissioner Gulabrao Pol had earlier on Thursday ruled out the terror angle, and stated that it was a case of mischief.

Four low-intensity serial blasts took place within a one-km range on the busy Junglee Maharaj Road in Pune on Wednesday in which one person has been injured. The first explosion occurred around 7.30 p.m. near Balgandharva Rang Mandir, an auditorium on Junglee Maharaj Road.

The second explosion occurred in a dustbin outside the popular fast food joint McDonald's. Soon after, the third and fourth blasts went off at Dena Bank and Garware Chowk, in the same vicinity, with the explosive material planted in cycles. The police defused another bomb within the next one hour. (ANI)

Our new Home Minister who has created a record as Power Minister of creating the biggest blackout in the history of the world now says the government has taken the blasts seriously.

However, even my wife, who is not very educated, surmises that this low intensity blast which has not even killed one person is the creation of the government, more specifically the dirty tricks department of the Congress Party.

Why?

To derail the agitation of Anna Hazare and drive the news item from the first page.

I know it sounds preposterous but I seem to agree to her.

This UPA government can do anything but take action against corruption.

Only a thorough enquiry would get to the facts but the CBI being under the UPA government, we will never know the truth.

That is why Anna and all right minded Indians, except politicans, are demanding the CBI be made completely independent.