Karthik, an MBA student, who was injured in the blast in Bangalore
In holiday season, the revelry in the heart of Bangalore in the city's business district is not to be missed, said Karthik, an MBA student, to his aunt, who was visiting from Chennai.
So at 8.30 pm on Sunday evening, Karthik and his aunt Bhavani, along with six other relatives, were walking into a restaurant on Church Street when the laughter and chatter of a family reunion was brutally muted.
Bhavani, 38, was walking next to Karthik on the pavement when an explosion ripped through the street. She was thrown on to the centre of the road and was injured severely on her head. An auto driver rushed her to hospital, where doctors declared her dead about two hours later. Her two young children and husband were not in Bangalore with her when the blast took place.
Karthik was operated on this morning so that doctors could remove metal and shards of shrapnel from his shoulder. Doctors say he is recovering well.
In another hospital in Bangalore just two kilometers away from the site of last night's blast, Sandeep and Vinay, both 39 years old and IT employees, are being treated for minor injuries they suffered when shrapnel pierced their body. They were out with their friends and families to dine at one of Church Street's busy 18 restaurants.
Forensic experts have collected evidence from the site of the blast this morning. Officials said that the improvised explosive device (IED) consisted of a pipe bomb filled with shrapnel placed in the plants outside Coconut Grove, a popular eatery. It was triggered by a timer.
"We have stepped up our vigil and intensified patrolling across the city to prevent further incidents in view of the New Year's Eve festivities," said police commissioner MN Reddi, adding that all restaurants and bars will have to close at 1 am on Wednesday instead of the earlier 2 am curfew.