Black Saturday for Hyderabad !!

Last saturday(25-August), IT-Hub Hyderabad witnessed twin blasts killing more than 40 people and leaving about 80 seriously wounded. The blast spots, namely Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat in Koti are both popular recreation destination for the localites.

Pic Details : The pic shows the book "The Complete Reference : Java" that was purchased on the same day by a B.Tech. student from Koti(the hub of technical books in Hyd) who got killed in the blast at Gokul Chat.

Just the very next day, Police succeeded in detonating 19 other unexploded bombs- most fitted with timers and placed in plastic bags - at bus stops, by cinema halls, road junctions, pedestrian bridges, near public water tap, etc. Seems like terrorists had plans to explode the whole city !! (Just few hours before the blasts, the city police seized Rs. 2.36 crore in counterfeit notes smuggled into the city)

From last several weeks, the city has been observing several hoaxes to major IT companies(including Microsoft, D.E.Shaw & Co. and Oracle) spread across the city. There is a growing feeling of unease in the industrial sector, specially in IT sector, in the wake of these twin blasts.

Why is Hyderabad becoming a soft target for terror attacks? While that's a question that investigating agencies will have to probe and answer; its surely a high alarm for the government to re-introduce acts like POTA, TADA, etc. to take strict action against the terrorists. On the other hand, the residents of the city also need to take extra precautions while visiting such crowded places.

One good thing, I observed here was that after the blasts there were NO communal riots (quite unlike Gujrat) and all citizens are helping restore order in the capital. Although, today a strike has been called by a political party, but even then, the city is observing complete law & order.

*Sincere Thanks to many of my friends for showing concern and calling me shortly after the blasts to confirm my well-being ! Am so indebted to all of you !!! At the time of blasts I was working in my office just a few kms from Lumbini Park. Unfortunately, my current office is also amidst a busy marketplace.