Pune, India: In a major terror attack since 26/11, at least eight people, including foreigners, were killed and 40 injured when a bomb ripped through a German bakery in Maharashtra's Pune Saturday evening.
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai confirmed the blast as a terror attack.
He said National Investigation Agency (NIA) team was sent to Pune. Anti-terrorism, bomb disposal and forensic teams were sent to the spot.
Initial report said it was a gas cylinder blast but later police suspected a bomb explosion.
The blast occurred around 730 pm in the bakery at upmarket Koregaon Park, a joint visited by foreigners, said police.
Sources said foreigners were prime targets.
A large number of foreigners and local people were present during the blast.
"Prima facie it is a bomb blast but we are yet to confirm it. We are verifying it. We have not arrived at any conclusion at this stage," the police commissioner of Pune said.
Eyewitnesses said an unclaimed bag was spotted near the bakery.
Injured were admitted in various hospitals and the nationality of the dead were yet to be ascertained, police said.
Headley had surveyed areas near Pune bakery: Pillai
Meanwhile, in New Delhi, Union Home Secretary GK Pillai said Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant David Headley had surveyed the areas near the German bakery in Maharashtra’s Pune, where a blast killed at least eight people Saturday evening.
“Maharashtra police was alerted on Oct 12, 2009, that LeT’s Headley had surveyed 200 yards from the bakery,” Pillai told reporters Saturday night.
“However, it is too early to say if LeT has any hand behind this blast. Forensic investigations have just begun,” he added.
The Home Secretary said a high alert has been issued across Pune.
“Maharashtra police have issued an advisory to all citizens not to approach or attend to any unattended packages. Instead, they should report such cases immediately to the nearest police station,” Pillai said.
Pillai further said Maharashtra police, state anti-terror squad and forensic experts have reached the spot.
“A team from CBI will be airlifted to Pune shortly,” he said, adding that Home Minister P Chidambaram is ‘closely monitoring’ the situation from Tamil Nadu.
Pillai said according to latest reports, eight people, including a foreigner, have been killed, while 32 others, including a foreigner, have been injured.
However, he could not comment on the nationality of the foreigners.
The Home Secretary, while briefing the incident said, according to the information available from Maharashtra police and Intelligence agencies, ‘a bomb/explosive blasted a German bakery around 7.30 pm’.
“There was an unattended packet at the bakery, which was noticed by the waiter. The bomb exploded when he tried to open the packet,” Pillai said.