Patna serial blasts: As it happened

Zee Media Bureau/Hemant Abhishek 11.00 pm: Blast suspect Imtiyaz, who was held from Patna railway station on Sunday, has claimed that Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Yasin Bhatkal`s aide Monu supplied explosives that were used in Patna serial blasts. Monu`s role is also suspected in Bodh Gaya blasts. 10.10 pm: Two more held in Patna serial blasts case, taking the total number of arrests to three. Raids were being conducted in Ranchi and Patna.

9.55 pm: Violence has no place in democracy and everyone has the right to reach out to the people anywhere in the country, said BJP leader Yashwant Sinha as he demanded a high-level inquiry into the Patna serial blasts. 9.35 pm: Senior BJP leader LK Advani called up Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and expressed concern over the serial blasts in Patna. Advani asked both the Centre and Bihar government to take the matter seriously and that appropriate action be taken. 9.05 pm: NIA team stationed at Bodh Gaya in Bihar in connection with the July bombings has been rushed to the site of Patna serial bomb blasts. NIA and NSG teams have been rushed to the sites of explosion, said Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

Serious security lapses on part of Bihar state govt.Nkumar being Home Minister should have monitored security arrangements himself.

— Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) October 27, 2013

8.30 pm: BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi demanded an independent probe into the serial blasts in Patna. "It is the responsibility of the state governments to make security arrangements ahead of rallies," he said 8.05 pm: "Till now no one from the government has gone to see the victims of the Patna bomb blast. CM should resign and President Rule should be imposed in the state," says Ashwini Chaubey of BJP. 7.45 pm: LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan has slammed Bihar government over the bomb blasts in Patna. He says the incident has "exposed" what law and order exists during the JD (U) rule. "Bihar earlier never witnesses this kind of bomb blasts. The incidents expose all his claims of "Susashan" (good governance). What kind of law and order exists in Bihar during Nitish Kumar`s role is fully exposed now. He should answer to people to what level he wants to take the state now," Paswan said. 7.30 pm: In the wake of Patna serial blasts, BJP says JD(U) has lost the `moral` right to govern the state. "The person who was to address the rally is in the Z-plus security cover category and despite that there was no proper security arrangement," BJP national spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi Blaming intelligence bureau and the CID in Bihar for `complete intelligence failure`, Lekhi said President Pranab Mukherjee was to be in Patna but cancelled his visit "owing to the rally". "Had he come and such blasts occurred, what would have happened? Given the situation, JD(U) has no moral right to govern the state," she said. 6.55 pm: It is the criminal negligence of the state government. They have completely failed, says Bihar BJP chief Sushil Kumar Modi. 6.46 pm: Three out of the five deceased have been identified, namely – Vikas, Ram Narayan Singh, Munna Srivastav. Two are yet to be identified, says Bihar DGP Abhayanand 6.45 pm: Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were planted. We have found some documents related to the blasts, but we cannot yet reveal the details just yet, says Bihar DGP Abhayanand. 6.40 pm: Patna serial blasts were an attack on Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, says BJP. "There is no doubt that the blasts were an attempt to disrupt the BJP rally. In fact, it`s a direct attack on Modiji. We don`t know who are behind this attack, but both the centre and Bihar governments are answerable," says BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi. 6.24 pm: Making a guess on who did it will be premature now. I rule out any political conspiracy. Bihar has no history of political confrontation, says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. 6.22 pm: The serial blasts an attempt to disrupt law and order in Bihar, says Bihar CM. Also Read: Patna serial blasts: No security lapse, says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar 6.20 pm: I assure everyone that no effort will be spared to solve the case: Nitish Kumar. 6.15 pm: "Ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakhs will be provided to the families of the deceased," says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. 6.12 pm: "There was no intelligence input. Every possible security arrangement was in place," says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. 6.10 pm: "Some police personnel were injured during defusing the bombs. It is important that efforts of such nuisance-creating elements be thwarted by remaining united," says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. 6.06 pm: The serial blasts seem to be a pre-planned incident, says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. One person fleeing from Patna railways station has been nabbed, he informs. 6.05 pm: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condemns serial blasts in Patna. "83 people in total went to Patna Medical College & Hospital (PMCH) for treatment and 38 have been admitted," he says. 6.00 pm: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi condemned the Patna serial blasts. 5.10 pm : Eighth bomb exploded at the Gandhi Maidan, fortunately no one was hurt, agencies reported. Serial bomb blasts have rocked Bihar`s capital on the day that Bharatiya Janata Party`s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi`s arrived in the city for `Hunkar` rally. Five people have reportedly been killed while 50 others have been injured in the explosion. Police have detained three suspects in connection with the blasts. Eight explosions have taken place today starting with a crude bomb blast at around 10 am at a public toilet outside the platform number 10 of the railway station. One person was killed in the blast while another one was reportedly injured. Two live bombs were also recovered by the police. The second explosion took place at a movie theatre in the afternoon even as Modi arrived in the state capital to address rally at Gandhi Maidan. Union Minister of State for Home, RPN Singh termed the incident "unfortunate" and said that the NSG and NIA teams are being sent to Delhi to investigate the matter. Singh further said that the blasts were of low-intensity and five explosions took place at the rally venue Gandhi Maidan injuring 20 people. The police has beefed up the security and one person has reportedly been detained. The bomb blasts took place as thousands of people were arriving in the city by trains to attend Modi`s rally. BJP had booked around 11 special trains to ferry party workers and supporters to the state capital. Plumes of smoke was seen at the venue sites where five explosions were reported near Patna`s Gandhi Maidan where Modi addressed the rally. However, BJP decided to go ahead with the rally. Narendra Modi appealed for peace and calm and tweeted that his condolence is with the family of the deceased.

Blasts in Patna are deeply saddening & unfortunate. Condolences with families of deceased & prayers with injured. I appeal for peace & calm.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 27, 2013

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has appealed for calm and spoke to Bihar chief Minister Nitish Kumar asking him to ensure that those behind the blasts are punished. Meanwhile, one person was killed earlier today during a crude bomb explosion at Patna railway station. Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh tweeted, "What a coincidence blast at Patna Railway on the day of Modi`s Rally ! Challenge to Nitish Govt to find the culprit !"

What a coincidence blast at Patna Railway on the day of Modi's Rally ! Challenge to Nitish Govt to find the culprit !— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) October 27, 2013