Maoist group owns up to Patna blast, Nitish orders probe

A Maoist group, People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI), on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a bomb blast in the Bihar capital on Monday night, police said. A suspect was detained, and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked the state police chief to look into the extremism and terrorism aspects in the incident.

No casualties were reported in Monday's blast in a residential colony, and police later recovered two more live high-intensity bombs from the site.

"A self-styled spokesperson of the PLFI telephoned newspaper and TV channel offices in Patna on Tuesday claiming the group was behind Monday's bomb blast," an official at the police headquarters here said.

A team of the National Investigation Agency on Tuesday began a probe into the blast to ascertain the involvement of any terror organisation. Officials visited the spot and collected evidence.

Police said a timer device of the "lotus brand" was attached to the bombs. Such bombs were also recovered during the 2013 serial blasts in Patna during then BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rally.

"I have ordered Director General of Police P.K. Thakur to probe into it from all angles including criminal act, extremism and terrorism to expose the real people behind it," Nitish Kumar told the media here.

He said those involved in the blast will not be spared.

Another police official said a suspect in the case was detained on Tuesday in Nalanda district and interrogated. Three suspects have been identified and would be arrested soon.