National

Failure of Central intelligence: Mayawati

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Friday blamed the Central intelligence agencies for Friday’s serial bomb blasts in Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad that killed 13 people and injured around 60.

Unofficial estimates put the death toll at 19.

At a press conference here, Ms. Mayawati said the intelligence agencies failed to give prior information and directives for taking adequate safeguards. Condemning the terror act, she appealed to people to maintain peace.

The Chief Minister announced a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the injured. She said the condition of some of the injured, who were admitted to hospitals, was critical.

Ms. Mayawati, who despatched Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Mishra to Varanasi and Director General of Police Vikram Singh to Faizabad, said the Special Task Force has been put on high alert to nab the ultras.

Governor T.V. Rajeswar, condemning the blasts, said it was a deliberate attempt to disturb peace and communal harmony. He also appealed to people to maintain the tradition of tolerance.

Principal Secretary (Home) J.N. Chamber said the reports available with the police and State intelligence agencies would be assessed.

The serial blasts occurred within 10 days of the arrest of three suspected Jaish-e-Mohammad ultras in Lucknow on November 16. The next day they were thrashed by lawyers in the Chief Judicial Magistrate court here when they were brought for hearing. Police sources said that by choosing the court premises, the mastermind behind the blasts was targeting lawyers.

Lawyers in Lucknow and Varanasi raised anti-police slogans and expressed their anger against the poor security arrangements.

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