Some explosive materials were recovered from near a gate of Chinnaswamy stadium — near the site of two low intensity blasts — a few hours after an unexploded crude bomb was detected at M.G. Road area of the city Sunday morning, police said.
“Besides the unexploded bomb, found some 150 metres away from the stadium, some explosive materials were also found near gate number one,” Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari told reporters here.
The explosive materials were concealed in a flex column and did not have a detonator or timer, he said. “We discovered it while searching all the flex boards” a senior officer said.
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“There are over 1000 flex boards near the stadium and in the vicinity and we are checking all the flex boards around the stadium and 500 metres away. Each flex board is being thoroughly checked,” he said.
The explosive material was found when the flex column was opened during search operations. It appeared that the explosive had been stuffed through the bottom of the column, he said, adding that the material would be subjected to chemical analysis.
Police began combing operations in the area and were checking all billboards after two low intensity crude bombs exploded outside the stadium minutes before an IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians was to begin on Saturday, leaving 17 people injured.
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At least eight to ten people are being questioned in connection with the explosion, police said. However, no arrest has been made so far. “The interrogative process is very much on,” they said. Meanwhile, police have tightened security in and around the area.
Bomb disposal squad were conducting combing operation and sniffer dogs have been pressed into service to detect suspicious objects.