Pune:
A day after German bakery in Pune was rocked by bomb blasts, Home Minister P Chidambaram visited the blast site, and the injured at Sassoon Hospital.
He was accompanied by Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.
Addressing a press conference in Pune, he said: "Koregaon Park has been on the radar for some time. Many soft targets need to be monitored."
Giving details about the blast, the Home Minister said that it seems one or more people posed as customers and left the backpack quietly under table.
Lauding the work done by Sassoon Hospital, Chidambaram said: "The hospital has done a remarkable job and every doctor, every nurse rushed to the hospital within minutes. So has other private hospitals.
In one hospital, platelets were not available. So, it took a few minutes to go to Ruby Hall to get the platelets. Virtually every life was saved except those brought dead. Six people died at the spot, two in casualty and one died while doctors were trying to save him. So, total nine people are dead and 57 injured."
The Home Minister denied there was an intelligence failure.
"Best police officers have been put on the job and the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) have taken over case," Chidambaram said and urged mediapersons to avoid speculation 'as it causes confusion'.
He also said that a National Investigating Agency (NIA) team is coming in from Delhi. Speaking on its role, Chidambaram said: "There is no confusion about this; ATS is investigating the case. I wanted the NIA to come so that they can have first hand exposure to a terrorist crime as soon as it's committed. They will only study the matter and assist the ATS but investigation is being done only by the ATS."
Only when forensic reports come we will share it with you, he added.
He also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh per person
Informing that establishments in area had been sensitised, the Home Minister said that no particular nationality has been targeted in attack.