Three crude bombs found near temple

PUNE: The Lonavla rural police have found three crude bombs on the premises of the Ekvira Devi temple in Karla, where a dacoity attempt was foiled on early Friday morning. The police suspect the bombs were brought by dacoits, most likely a tribal gang skilled in climbing hills, to break open the front door of the temple.
Inspector Mohan Jadhav, incharge of the Lonavla rural police station, said, "Such crude bombs are generally used to kill pigs and fish, but the dacoits had planned to use it to blast the temple gate.However, they rained stones on the policemen, who opened fire in retaliation."
The bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS) of Pune police has suggested that the bombs found were capable of causing damage to human life and property.
Jadhav said, "The dacoits picked up their partner who got injured in police firing and climbed down the Karla hills, which is a difficult task. It makes us believe that a professional gang from outside Pune district was involved in the incident." A tribal community, having knowledge of hilly areas, may be involved since local gangs do not have the expertise to operate in such areas, said Jadhav.
"We have started checking criminals involved in robberies and dacoites on the expressway and highways at Khopoli. No arrests have been made," Jadhav added.
The Pune rural police are co-ordinating with the neighbouring Raigad and Thane police. SP (rural) Shahaji Solunkhe has flashed wireless messages across the state. to keep a watch on any person obtaining treatment for bullet injury.
BDDS inspector Madhav Shinde said the crude bombs have been kept at a safe place and they will be defused after seeking permission from the court.
President of Ekvira temple trustee board Anant Waman Tare said the board has given to the police names and addresses of its three former security guards. Tare said, "The police have beefed up bandobast at the temple by deputing three armed policemen. T
he board has appointed two armed guards and two employees for assisting police ."
Tare said the temple trustees, on Saturday, decided to install six CCTV cameras outside the temple and replace the old cameras in the temple with better ones. The trustees also decided to install an emergency siren and provide six walkie talkie sets to the guards," he said.
"We have planned to construct two chowkies -- one at the footsteps of the hill and another at the parking premises, so that the guards can block dacoits in an emergency. A gate will be constructed at the parking site for checking visitors. The decision taken by the trustees will be executed before the temple fair begin in March," Tare added.
Inspector Nitin Gokave of the local crime branch, who is conducting parallel investigations, said that the police have launched a massive crackdown for tracing the injured dacoit and his accomplice.
Meanwhile, special inspector general (Kolhapur range) Tukaram Chavan visited the injured policeman Subhash Pawar at a private hospital in Lonavla. Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackery on Friday gave financial help of Rs 1 lakh to Pawar.
Ekvira is the family deity of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.
The police have booked the dacoits under sections 333 (voluntarily causing grieveous hurt to deter public servant from performing duty), 353 (obstructing public servant from performing duty), 395 (dacoity), 397 (robbery or dacoity), 307 (attempted murder) read with 511 (attempting to committ offence) of the Indian Penal Code and 4 (attempt to cause explosion) and 5 (punishment for making explosive) of the Explosives Substances Act.