Eight people were killed and up to 40 injured in a bomb explosion in a popular bakery near a Jewish prayer house here in the first major strike after the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai.

The blast took place in the German Bakery, an old business establishment in the Cantonment area of the city, at around 1830 hours.

The famous Osho Ashram, frequented by foreigners, is also located in the vicinity of the blast site. US terror suspect David Headley is believed to have stayed at the Ashram during his visit to the city.

“There was a bomb blast. There have been eight deaths and 33 people were injured,” said Pune Joint Commissioner of Police Rajendra Sonwane. The injured have been rushed to Pune’s Sasoon hospital.

“It is a suspected bomb blast. So far, it is not confirmed. We are verifying this,” he said adding “we have not arrived at any conclusion at this stage but prima facie it appears that it is a bomb blast”.

“It’s most probably a terror attack. We are sending a forensic team of CBI and personnel of National Investigative Agency (NIA)”, Union Home Secretary Gopal Krishna Pillai said in New Delhi.

Official sources said an Improvised Explosive Device was used to trigger the blast.

Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagve, who is an MLA from the constituency, said upto 40 people were injured, three of them seriously.

A team of Anti-Terrorism Squad and bomb disposal squad visited the spot to ascertain the nature of the blast.

Reports say that the explosive was kept in a packet inside the bakery and it got detonated when the bag was picked.

The blast was so strong that four other shops adjoining the bakery were completely blown off due to its impact.

Police have found a bag from the site of the blast and are searching it for any explosive material.

Teams of forensic experts from NIA, CBI and IB have also been rushed to Pune.

ATS sources have told Headlines Today that Indian Mujahhiddin Operatives are suspected to be behind the attack.

German Bakery is a popular joint just opposite the Osho Commune lane in Pune.

The bakery is a nerve centre of sorts for the entire area and is frequented by foreigners visiting the Osho Commune.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said it was yet to be established as to what was the cause of the blast. He said he had talked to the Police Commissioner who told him that unless they examined the evidence on the scene of the blast they cannot come to any conclusion.

Security forces have cordoned off the entire area.

source: India Today

Tags: german bakery, german bakery blast, pune blast, pune bomb blast

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