A series of bomb blasts ripped through Bangalore this afternoon. Scores of citizens and students alike, shocked and worried, pulled ahead their evening commute to get back home earlier.
The blast scene at the back corner of the bus stand at Madiwala checkpost, on Hosur Road in south Bangalore, at 4.30 p.m. on 25 July. Pic: Subramaniam Vincent.
The bus stand at Madiwala checkpost on Hosur Road in south Bangalore was the scene of one of the blasts, and this is also the location where one woman died, the city police have confirmed. Injured citizens from this blast scene were reportedly taken to St John’s Hospital, less than 1/2 a kilometre away, on Sarjapur Road.
Police had taken away the debris and remnants from the crude bomb for analysis. The Madiwala Police Station is located less a than a km south of the blast, on Hosur Road.
A TV9 reporter went back and forth across Hosur Road in the front of the blast scene, with his crew members. Pic: SV.
Traffic was at standstill at the checkpost intersection with Outdoor Broadcast (OB) vans of the television media parked off to one side, and TV journalists using the north-bound direction of the Hosur Road to broadcast. A TV9 reporter went back and forth across Hosur Road talking to an eyewitness, with a melee of people all around them.
Police were unhappy with the worsening traffic situation at an intersection already well known for being a punishing bottleneck. At around 4.30 p.m., most onlookers were continuing to rush to the spot behind the bus stand to see the damage from the blast. Many clicked pictures with their cell phones.
Onlookers swarming around the impacted bus stand area far into the scene, past the police bus on the right. Pic: SV.
The scene was calm and that, with the presence of a large police force seemed to only bring in more onlookers. Most of them were youngsters on motorcycles who were walking to scene having parked their vehicles south of the bus stand, where the traffic had jammed. Police were fruitless in their efforts to disperse the crowd. ⊕
Bangalore has to quickly and effectively respond to these blasts. Bangalore has always been a very peaceful city, and it is our responsibility to preserve it that way. while we are vigilant, we should ensure that Bangalore remains the tolerant and broad minded city that it has always been.
I was near St Johns at the time of the blasts and the situation at Adugodi was rather chaotic. Like you’ve noticed, there were a large number of press-people, policemen and civilians hanging around stalling traffic.
This is really really sad. I can’t imagine this becoming the talking point of every conversation for the coming weeks.
The perpetrators would want to spread fear and resentment and that is just what we should NOT give in to doing.