'Bodies were thrown across the street due to the impact of the blast'

Amish Shah, a 27-year-old businessman who was on the scene minutes after a blast ripped through the popular German Bakery in Pune on Saturday night, recounts the horror:

"The bakery was crowded when the blast took place at approximately 7.15 pm. The blast shattered the windowpanes of the houses in Yogi Housing Society, which is located across the street. Two shops adjacent to the bakery, a liquor store and a cafe also bore the brunt of the blast. Some of the bodies were thrown across the street due to the impact of the blast.

Various state ministers including Harshwardhan Patil, Ramesh Bagwe, Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena legislator Ramesh Wanjale visited the blast site.

Former Congress legislator Chandrakant Shivarkar also visited the site.

Incidentally, the Chabad House, which is located opposite the bakery, was under a heavy security cover till a few months ago.

As told to Rohan Jagan