‘Probe 3 mysterious explosion-like sounds in Goa’

PANAJI - Goa Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik Sunday officially requested the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to dispatch a team of experts to “solve the mystery of three explosion-like sounds which rocked coastal parts of South Goa district” Feb 10.

In a press note issued here, Naik said that in view of the terror-strikes in Pune Saturday, the three mysterious and unexplained explosion-like sounds should not be overlooked “since Goa has been one of the prime targets of terrorists for sometime now”.

The three explosions last Wednesday had left both the state government and defence machinery befuddled, with no official agency being able to determine the cause for the explosions which were heard over a radius of 50 km along the South Goa coast.

The Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard (ICG), state police and administration all confirmed reports of the explosion-like sounds, but could not explain the phenomenon.

ICG officials had also said that some fishermen had informed about the explosion-like sounds when they fishing in the deep sea.

“It is surprising that no agency in Goa has been able to throw any light on the mysterious blasts. The Sea Bird project of the defence ministry in North Kanara District is adjacent to Canacaona taluka of Goa and being a sensitive area, the defence ministry also has to take the incident seriously,” Naik said in his press note, adding that he had asked both the union home minister and the defence minister A.K. Anthony to probe the matter.

“If the blasts are a part of tests done by the Sea Bird project authorities, the same should be disclosed at least now,” Naik said in his press note.