Mumbai Blasts Probe: Will Soon Release Sketch Of A Suspect, Says ATS Chief

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad on Saturday ruled out the involvement of a suicide bomber in Wednesday's three blasts in the city and said a probable suspect's sketch would be prepared by Saturday night.

"Investigations done so far and visit to the sites by forensic experts and investigators suggest that there was no suicide bomber," said Maharashtra ATS chief Rakesh Maria.

Based on eyewitness' accounts, a sketch of a probable suspect would be prepared by tonight and circulated among the investigators, Maria said.

"The experts have retrieved certain portions of metallic container which was used to store and carry the explosives," he added.

He also said ammonium nitrate, crude oil and digital timers were used in the explosive devices.

Teams of Maharashtra ATS and crime branch had gone to various places in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, West Bengal, Andra Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan as part of the probe into the blasts, Maria said, adding they were also taking the help of police of respective states and the central agencies.
Nineteen people were killed in the three blasts and over 130 were injured.

Maria said some accused currently lodged in Madhya Pradesh had been questioned in a bid to get the leads.

"(Members of) various modules arrested in the past are being questioned (to see) if they can help in the solving the blast case," the ATS chief said, adding there were some good leads and the investigation was moving in the right directions.

Nobody had been detained so far, he said.

He said some of the CCTV footages were "grainy" and in a day or two, investigators will be able to get better images from the CCTV cameras recovered from the blast sites, he said.