A bomb exploded near the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office here on Wednesday morning, injuring 16 people.

City Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar told reporters after inspecting the site that the bomb was planted in a motorbike.

The bomb went off around 10.30 a.m. in the crowded area, which also houses a few temples. The injured include 11 policemen on security duty for the forthcoming assembly elections. The blast damaged two vans, a Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) vehicle and a motorbike. Five civilians were also injured in the attack.

State DGP Lalrokhuma Pachau said, “Nobody is critically injured. All are being treated at the hospital.”

Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister R Ashok said it was a “clear act of terror” targeted at BJP leaders, besides spreading panic ahead of the Assembly elections on May 5.

“It is targeted at the BJP, our senior leaders and workers,” Ashok said. He said since it was election time, party leaders and hundreds of workers visit the party office Jagannath Bhavan located at Malleswaram regularly.

Due to the impact of the blast, window panes of some buildings were shattered with a loud noise heard several kilometres away, according to the police and eyewitnesses. He said the National Investigative Agency team has arrived to investigate the incident. The Home Minister said the material used for the bomb has not been identified yet.

IANS adds: The motorcycle was parked between two cars. The blast ripped through the motorcycle and gutted both the vehicles parked near it.

Police cordoned off the blast area. The injured policemen were seated in a mini bus parked nearby as they were on security duty for the upcoming election.

“We do not know the type of bomb that was used. The matter is under investigation. NIA and forensic experts are studying the three charred vehicles and other burnt-out material to find what sort of bomb or materials were used to trigger the blast,” Pachau said. Appealing to people across the State to remain calm and maintain peace, Ashok said there was no cause for panic and no rumours should be allowed to spread.

“The culprits will be punished. Special teams are being set up to find out who was behind this cowardly act and why the attacks were planned when elections are due,” Ashok observed. Coincidentally, a similar blast took place exactly three years ago, on April 17, 2010, outside the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium in the city centre before an IPL (Indian Premier League) T-20 match.

“The pattern appears to be same. Create panic and inflict maximum damage to innocent people and their property,” Ashok said.

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