India: Bomb Blasts in Bangalore

Bangalore, the capital of the state of Karnataka, was hit by bomb blasts a few hours ago. Reports suggest that seven bombs went off in various parts of the city, within a twelve minute timeframe. The blasts were of low intensity and used gelatin sticks. However, a woman was killed, and six people have been injured. The phone lines have been jammed in the city to prevent rumours from flying, and the roads are blocked. Sachin Uppal says

The scene was busy with people getting anxious and asking what's going on, however I have not see anything in particular. It was all filled with Police men trying to sort out the chaotic traffic and managing people.

Bangalore has been a high growth city for past 10 years now and has been peaceful. However, it seems like many people do not want that to happen. It can also be a political unrest or some kind of terrorist act. However, in the past couple of years this has been the 3rd biggest incident of Bomp blast in a city like Bangalore.

iisc life trawls the web for some information and doesn't find much. Bangalore Metblogs has some information on the exact location of the blasts. Keep Sakes points out to the inadequate infrastructure in the city.

Already we have no electricity, no petrol, no diesel, no infrastucture, no pavements to drive on (yeah, we drive on pavements, for the lack of space elsewhere), no rains, no metro , not even a proper name to call the city – “bangalore? bengalooru? bengaluroo? what??”… and now, of all things, we have a blast??? Isnt the city already on its way to ruin by itself that one H-A-D to put in a blast into this concotion as well ?

Vikas Sharma talks of the poor security arrangements in the city.

It was bound to happen. With light security, poor enforcement of law and laid back attitude of the Bangalore police, Bangalore would surely be targeted sooner or later. I started writing this post when I heard of one bomb blast near Madiwala, by now the count has gone up to eight! I hope this is not the signs of things to come… God forbid.

I have just passed Mysore road a few minutes back and am happy to be in front of my PC in the office, but still unsure if there could be bomb nearby…

Hari Shenoy writes about the anxiety that people in his office are experiencing.

Nayandahalli, which is quite close to my office has also been the location of one of the explosions, and the proximity of this explosion to my office has had people here up in a tizzy. There is a palpable tension in the atmosphere with cell phones ringing or people making calls to their near and dear ones hoping that they stay put in a place that is safe or stay at home out of harm's way.

While news channels (Times Now) was stating that the target was primarily the IT sector, with blasts on Hosur Road, Koramangala and such, it is quite unfounded to make such an assumption since the IT industry people would be the ones that would be among the most ensconed and protected among all others, given the levels of security within and outside their premises.

Quite a few people are twittering about the blasts. Jace says “… despite that we're a half kilometre away from the nearest blast. people are relieved their internet connection hasn't been hit.”. Constant updates on twitter user blastnews.

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