Surat July 30:
The recovery of at least 18 bombs here created a wave of panic in the diamond city today, three days after serial blasts rocked Ahmedabad, but police managed to defuse them.
The bombs were found in and around Varacha area, where most of the diamond polishing units of the South Gujarat city are located. Surat accounts for 80 per cent of the world's diamond polishing business.
Police imposed a virtual curfew in Varacha and the only relief to the local administration was none of the bomb exploded and they were defused in time. "We have found 18 bombs today and defused all of them," Surat Police Commissioner R M S Brar told reporters this evening.
Three bombs each were found from Gajera Circle, Mini Diamond Market, Varacha-Kapodra flyover, two each from Heerabaug, Bhavani Circle and one each from Mahidarpura, Sardar Choki, Labheshwar Police Chowki, Santoshinagar and Matavadi, where it was hanging on a tree.
"Most of the information regarding the bombs had come from people. I would request the people to be more alert and immediately inform the police if they find any suspicious material," Brar said.
He said the bombs were of low intensity but did not clarify whether there were timer device or not. The Gujarat Government believes the bombs found in Surat are an attempt to distract attention from investigations in Ahmedabad serial blasts, sources said.
The recovery of at least 18 bombs here created a wave of panic in the diamond city today, three days after serial blasts rocked Ahmedabad, but police managed to defuse them.
The bombs were found in and around Varacha area, where most of the diamond polishing units of the South Gujarat city are located. Surat accounts for 80 per cent of the world's diamond polishing business.
Police imposed a virtual curfew in Varacha and the only relief to the local administration was none of the bomb exploded and they were defused in time. "We have found 18 bombs today and defused all of them," Surat Police Commissioner R M S Brar told reporters this evening.
Three bombs each were found from Gajera Circle, Mini Diamond Market, Varacha-Kapodra flyover, two each from Heerabaug, Bhavani Circle and one each from Mahidarpura, Sardar Choki, Labheshwar Police Chowki, Santoshinagar and Matavadi, where it was hanging on a tree.
"Most of the information regarding the bombs had come from people. I would request the people to be more alert and immediately inform the police if they find any suspicious material," Brar said.
He said the bombs were of low intensity but did not clarify whether there were timer device or not. The Gujarat Government believes the bombs found in Surat are an attempt to distract attention from investigations in Ahmedabad serial blasts, sources said.
