Bengaluru: In a sign that the blast that ripped through a toilet in the court complex in the tourist hub of Mysuru at 4.30 pm on Monday, may have been intended to create havoc at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son Rakesh's funeral where the state's who's who had gathered, police found an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), comprising gunpowder that was triggered by a timer device which had melted in the heat of the explosion.

The low intensity bomb that exploded inside the public toilet in the Principal District Judge Court in Mysuru injured two people, Venkatesh and Sonal, a ninth standard student, who were passing by when the bomb exploded. Venkatesh sustained injuries in his right ear while Sonal injured the left side of her neck.

Sources told Deccan Chronicle that the forensic team found a circuit, which confirmed that the perpetrators had used an IED to trigger a bomb blast.

“It is possible that the IED was meant to be placed elsewhere; at a more prominent place because the terrorists knew about the VVIP presence and movement in Mysuru but because of heavy police deployment they may have dumped it in the public toilets on the rear side of the court premises, said an officer on condition of anonymity.

“It is possible that the motive was to create havoc during the funeral of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son Rakesh but because of heavy security the terrorists developed cold feet,” the officer said.

“The IED must have been assembled in a day's time. The fact that they have used gunpowder also suggests that the bomb was made locally because gunpowder like other explosives like fertilizers and hydrogen peroxide is easily available in the market.

NIA team expected in Mysuru today
“Police are searching public places, lodges, bus and railway stations in Mysuru to find out if more such IEDs have been stashed away,” the officer added. the NIA has been requested to inspect the spot and take over the investigation in this case.

The NIA team will reach Mysuru early Tuesday morning. Use of an IED suggests that some sleeper cells of the banned IM and its parent terror organisation - the SIMI were activated by their handlers abroad to possibly create a stampede in the crowd of political supporters of the CM, the officer added. Two people sustained minor injuries in the blast. They were hit by the materials that shattered due to the impact of the blast.