No end to terror, 18 live bombs found in Surat

Admn asks malls, schools, colleges, theatres, and textile-diamond units to shut shop today.

Even as Ahmedabad crawled back to normalcy after last week’s blasts, life in the diamond city of Surat came to a halt after police found 18 live bombs from different areas.

In a significant development, the administration advised malls, schools, colleges, theatres as well as textile and diamond units to shut shop tomorrow. The police plan to intensify combing and patrolling. The Commissioner of Police, RMS Brar, has advised people to avoid venturing out.

A large number of these bombs were found in the Varachha Road area, considered to be a diamond cutting and trading hub — six were found in Varachha's mini diamond bazaar, one in Mahidharpura, three in Katargaam, two on AK Road, three on the Varachha flyover, two near Labheshwar police station and one in Patel Bhavan.

Yesterday, one bomb was found in the city. On Sunday, police had seized two explosive-laden cars. Police yesterday released a sketch of a suspect who might have parked the car in the Heerabaugh area. The sketch was based on the description given by a watchman of a nearby building.

Meanwhile, trading activity in the city came to a halt, especially in Varachha and Mahidharpura areas, where a majority of diamond trading houses and cutting and polishing units are located. Though diamond cutting and polishing units continued to work, diamond trading houses in Varachha and Mahidharpura remained closed for the day.

“It is possible that the diamond industry is being targeted,” said CP Vanani, president, Surat Diamond Association (SDA).

Considering the increased threat to business activity in the city, industry players have demanded more police force.

“The population in Surat has increased from 2.5 million to 4 million and there has not been any substantial rise in the number of police force. We have intimated our demand for more police force to the state home department. Soon we will approach Chief Minister Narendra Modi and the central government,” said Pravin Nanavati, former president of the Surat Diamond Association.

The Gujarat government today said CCTVs would be installed in all public hospitals in major cities of the state. Over 30 people were killed in blasts in two large hospitals in Ahmedabad on Saturday.