No headway in Allahabad blast probe

LUCKNOW - The Uttar Pradesh administration Wednesday remained tight-lipped about the bomb attack on state minister Nand Gopal Nandi in Allahabad as the police probe failed to make any headway.

One person was killed and two injured in the explosion Monday.

Sleuths of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Special Task Force (STF) detailed to investigate the sensational blast have failed to make any headway in the case that has delivered a blow to the Mayawati government’s claim on maintaining law and order in the state.

Five people were detained in connection with the blast in which police said a remote device was used.

“We are waiting for the forensic report, which will give us an idea of the type of explosive device used in the blast,” Additional Director General of Police Brij Lal told mediapersons here Wednesday evening.

The blast took place in Mutthiiganj locality here when Nandi, the minister for finance (stamps and registrations), had stepped out of his home and was walking to a temple in the vicinity.

“While we do not have any record of use of a remote-controlled explosive device in a non-terror crime, we are trying to find out if such a course had been adopted in any other state in such a planned attack on an individual”, Lal said.

Meanwhile, the injured minister was stated to be “making slow progress”, his security personnel Sanjay was still in a critical condition at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate of Medical Sciences.

Indian express correspondent Vijay Pratap Singh, who suffered serious injuries in the blast, was also stated to be in a critical condition at the Indian Army’s R&R Hospital in New Delhi where he was air-lifted from Allahabad Tuesday evening.