PUNE, Aug 4: Investigators are likely to shift their focus away from Dayanand Patil (33), a tailor from Uruli Kacha, the only person injured in the low intensity blast on J M Road on Wedesday.
Police released Patil’s wife Satyakala, who was being questioned for the last two days.
Additional commissioner of police (Crime Branch) Sahaji Solunke said they found no major variation in Patil’s statements.
Police are questioning Patil’s motive behid picking up the bag carrying explosives that burst near Bal Gandharva Cultural hall and his reason for going to Jordan in 2003-04. Satyakala said, “He had gone to Jordan, much before our marriage, for three years to earn by doing tailoring work. But as he did not feel comfortable there, he returned within a year. Then he did some work in Mumbai, but after our marriage we moved here.”
Patil had told police that he picked up the carry bag with exposives from India Against Corruption (IAC) protest site near Balgandharva Cultural hall on J M Road along with another bag and an empty can.
The carry bag exploded when he tried to open it near the gate of Balgandharva cultural hall, police said.
“Investigation is still on. He will be releasd if his statements are found correct. Patil is benig treated for injuries He was in a trauma after he got injured in the blast. We questioned his wife, relatives and some acquaintances,” said Solunkhe.
“ I do not know why he picked up that bag. I will ask him but police are not allowing me to speak to him or see him once, He has been injured in the blast. He is a victim and we are very poor. The government should give us help instead of detaining and interrogating us,” Satyakala told.
Police said they will seek details of Patil’s foreign visit from the passport Authority. His bank account details would be checked.
A team of ATS reportedly also went to his native place in Bidar in Karnataka for investigation.
Satyakala said the police did not mistreat her. “They asked me all sort of questions, ranging from his foreign visit, to his past and his friends. But I knew nothing. They also seized my mobile and have not returned it yet. They were not rude to me,”she said.Patil’s relatives in Bidar could not come to Pune as they were being interrogated by police.
The investigators also questioned Patil’s neighbour Usman Sheikh along with Ramzan Sheikh another resident of Uruli Kanchan and his wife Gylab Bi. All were allowed to go home last evening. Police have asked Ramzan and Usman to report to the police station on a daily baiss till further instructions.
The police also recorded statement of two more eyewitnesses identified as Rashik Shaikh and Shailesh Lokhade, who claimed that they rushed to the spot near Balgandharva hall immediately after the explosion was heard.
Shaikh, a stage singer, had come to Balgandharva for a programme along with his friend Lokhade. The duo said they saw Patil sitting on the spot with injuries. Shaikh said,” he panicked when we asked him what had happend He had a bag, an empty plastic can and another plastic bag that had exploded.”
Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan along with high ranking police officials is holding a meeting at police commissionerate this evening. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is scheduled to visit the spot this evening and later talk to police officials.
(UNI)
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