Indian police say a crude bomb has exploded outside a busy restaurant in Bangalore, killing a woman and wounding three men.
The blast occurred Sunday night in the center of Bangalore, home to many of India’s high-tech workers.
The area was packed with Sunday evening crowds when the blast occurred, prompting a security alert in other Indian cities.
Police said the explosive device had been placed near a drain behind the Coconut Grove restaurant. Preliminary investigation suggested it was an improvised explosive device filled with shrapnel.
State police chief Siddaramaiah told reporters the matter is being investigated.
“This is the most unfortunate incident. We never expected this. After [the] Mehdi arrest, we alerted the police and we have tightened up the security also. Despite the security, the incident has taken place. But police people are investigating it,” said the chief minister, referring to the earlier arrest of an engineer behind a Twitter account that made postings in support of Islamic State miltiants.
Both the victims, one of whom was a woman, were walking past the restaurant when it went off.
“We came out. We were just standing there. Few of us talking. We noticed this long noise. Suddenly, we saw a lady collapsing on the ground. We could make out it is a bomb blast. Unfortunately, we could not go there to help that lady. These shrapnels hit my leg and my friend Sandeep's leg. So that's why we thought something wrong,” said a victim of the blast, Vinay, who has sustained minor injuries.
Meanwhile, a daily worker with one of the leading English dailies, Times of India, Mohit, expressed fear following the incident.
“Such incidents must be stopped as we feel scared. We come here everyday to work. There is a parking being made here. Sometimes, I work there, sometimes inside the premises. I feel scared but yet have to come to work,” said Mohit.
At least 13 people were wounded in a powerful blast in Bengaluru in 2013.
Some material for this report came from Reuters.
