Four special squads formed to probe Bangalore blast

Bangalore: Four special squads have been formed to probe the terror attack apparently targeting the BJP office here that left 16 people injured, a top police official said.

A team from National Investigation Agency (NIA) and National Security Guards (NSG) bomb disposal squads are assisting the state police in the probe, Director General of Police Lalrokhuma Pachau told reporters. The state police also announced Rs 5 lakh as reward to anyone who would provide "credible and reliable" information resulting in the arrest of the accused. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar held a review meeting with Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister R Ashoka, the state DGP and Bangalore Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar. "It could be a terror attack. Hectic investigation is going on," Pachau said, adding that four special squads under the supervision of Joint Commissioner Crime Pranab Mohanty and Auradkar had been formed. Preliminary investigation has found that yesterday`s blast was due to a bomb kept in a two wheeler. An NIA team, NSG bomb disposal squads and officers from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, besides the state FSL, are analysing materials found at the place of the blast, in which 11 policemen and five civilians were injured. Government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh each to the seriously injured and Rs 5,000 each to those who sustained minor injuries, he said. Security has been strengthened at all vital installations and important buildings including Raj Bhavan, High Court and the Legislative Assembly. It has also been tightened at public places like bus terminals, the international airport, railway stations, metro stations and political party offices, he said. PTI