A close call for Jana, Basith

Hareesh P / TNN / May 19, 2007, 02:36 IST

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Two hours after Jana Reddy, accompanied by Basith, paid a visit to the Mecca Masjid, police found an explosive in the premises.

HYDERABAD: It was not just scores of worshippers who escaped the blast at Mecca Masjid on Friday afternoon but, home minister K Jana Reddy and director general of police M A Basith too can be considered lucky among them.
Two hours after Jana Reddy, accompanied by Basith, paid a visit to the Mecca Masjid, police found an explosive in the premises. The explosive was the third one planted at the masjid.Two live explosives were recovered and defused by the police apart from the one that exploded.
The agitated protesters initially did not allow police to enter the premises forcing the latter to take the help of Maitri committee members to enter the premises and recovered the bag containing the explosive. The bag was taken to the nearby Khilwat grounds and defused.
Worshippers again protested against allowing the dog squad to enter the Masjid premises. And so the police had to seek the co-operation of the worshippers themselves to search for any possible explosives. Later, when the bomb squad finally managed to diffuse the bomb, they were applauded and hailed.

"The bomb was made of sophisticated technology and in all possibilities it might not have been made in the city. It was likely brought from some other place," DGP Basith said. The explosives were connected to a mobile phone to trigger the blast, he added.
Experts said the explosive was filled with potassium nitrate and other chemicals. Metal pieces were used as sharpnels. The two other explosives recovered in the premises were also of the similar type.
Police said with the explosive that went off was placed under the 'dakath,' a marble platform, and so the impact of the explosion was reduced.

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