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Police yet to ascertain if Saturday's blast was an act of terror. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
Even as the Uttar Pradesh police try and ascertain the nature and cause of the blast at an Agra hospital on Saturday, it is interesting to note that there was a specific intelligence alert in respect of Agra around 20 days back.
The Intelligence Bureau alert had suggested that smaller towns could be targeted and Agra was one of the cities under the radar.
Sources in the Intelligence Bureau informed that it has not yet been ascertained if Saturday's blast was an act of terror, but added that Agra was always under the radar.
Sources also added that this belt is notorious for the use of weapons and there has been open movement of explosives. However, it is for the first time that such an attack has occurred. The incidents in the past have mainly been restricted to political violence and gang wars.
Source in the IB said that there are small modules of various terror groups working in these areas and the procurements of material have always been easy. Officials say they are still ascertaining the cause and nature of the blast. A team of the forensic science laboratory has reached the spot and initial reports suggest that it was a low-intensity blast.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad is also at the spot and is studying the incident.
Moments after the blast at Agra a general alert was sounded by the Intelligence Bureau. The police across the country have been advised not to let their guard down since terror groups are likely to carry out blasts in a specific pattern.
An alert was already in place after the Delhi blasts and the entire nation was on high alert.
The alert says that some elements could carry out attacks at low security areas and also places that are not on the radar. There is a pattern being noticed since the 13/7 Mumbai blasts and some groups could take advantage of the volatile situation to strike.