At least 18 people were killed and more than 60 injured in two powerful bomb blasts within a gap of less than five minutes gap in thickly populated Dilsukhnagar area on Thursday evening. The Police recovered five unexploded bombs from nearby areas, including popular Venkatadri theatre.

The first blast occurred near Anand Tiffin Centre at 6.58 pm, in which more than eight died and many two-wheelers were completely charred. As people ran for their lives, another blast followed at Moteswari Complex, just 130 metres from the first explosion, around 7.02 pm, killing three on the spot. Many others were reported dead while being shifted to hospitals or in the hospitals.

Injured persons from the blast lie in hospital

An eyewitness said he had seen a cycle parked among the bikes at the tiffin centre going off first. Two cycles blew into pieces at both the spots.

Three of a five-member family died as they were trying to cross the road. Two youths, Rajasekhar and Vijay, who are undergoing sub-inspector training, died on the spot. They were having snacks at the tiffin centre.

This is the third time terrorists have made Dilsukhnagar their target. First, they planted a scooter bomb outside a famous Sai Baba Mandir, a little away from Dilsukhnagar bus stop. Three unexploded bombs were recovered in May 2008, during the serial blasts at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat, killing 42.

Though no outfit had claimed responsibility till the time of going to print, the police suspect that the blasts are the retaliation to the executions of 2008 Mumbai attacks convict Qasab and the key person in the attack on Indian Parliament, Afzal Guru.

Speaking to Mirror, a senior police official said they suspected the blasts to be the handiwork of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashker-e-Toiba.