A crude bomb exploded near the stage where Bhatkal MLA Mankal Subba Vaidya was to inaugurate the District Level Volleyball tournament in the coastal town Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district on Sunday night.
Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police Vinayak Patil said the crude bomb exploded in the hands of Raymond Miranda (27), a resident of Honnavar, who was carrying it. Miranda was standing about 30 meters away from the stage.
Mr. Patil told The Hindu that the explosion occurred around 11 p.m. when Mr. Vaidya was walking towards the stage to inaugurate the volleyball tournament organised by Hosapatna Kalavrunda. He said that during the explosion, Miranda’s right wrist was blown off. The police apprehended him and sent him to Kastruba Medical College, Manipal, for treatment. Miranda, who works as a mechanic in a showroom in the town, is currently in the ICU and the police are waiting for him to recover to get his statement.
Meanwhile, Mr. Vaidya told reporters that he was not perturbed by the alleged attempt on his life. “I have blessings of the voters. Nothing perturbs me,” he said and suspected that it was hatched with a political motive.
He said he initially thought that the explosion was that of crackers and a police sub inspector later informed him that it was a crude bomb. As the alleged perpetrator was in police custody, he said he was confident that the police will arrest those behind the incident soon.
