Gujarat: Bombs were discovered in a tree branch behind a store sign in Surat

On July 27, 2008, a day after the serial blasts in Ahmedabad, when the state was still on high alert, a bomb was discovered in Surat, remembers former Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) R S Patel, who was then stationed as a police inspector in Surat city.

"The first bomb was found in a traffic island by cleaning staff of Surat municipal corporation (SMC), of Athwa zone posted in the garden department. He could not tell what was the wooden concave object, and showed it to his supervisor, who also could not identify the object. The cleaning worker, believing it was a radio, took it at home and kept it the whole night . The next day, he kept it back at the place where he found it," Patel told on Tuesday.

"Later the supervisor saw news about the Ahmedabad blasts on television and tipped off a police informer who in turn shared the information with me. We contacted the cleaning worker who told us that the object was left at the same place where it was found," the former ACP said.

Two people from Surat were charged with the serial bombings that killed 56 people in Ahmedabad.

Tanveer Pathan, a resident of River View community on Bharimata road in Surat and a native of Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, was found guilty, whereas Zahir Patel, a resident of near Ruby Complex in Surat's Dhastipura neighbourhood and a native of Bharuch, was found not guilty.

Up till August 9, Surat had recovered 29 live bombs, 17 of which were from the Varachha region and the rest from Katargam, Mahidharpura, and Umra.

Patel alerted then-Police Commissioner RMS Brar, who instructed him to close the movie theatres and shopping malls.

"I had taken three training commandos and bomb disposal squad to defuse the first bomb."

Two of the devices discovered in Surat were planted in hatchback cars, which were defused as well.

Assistant Commissioner of Police R R Sarwaiya, who was then a Police sub inspector in the Surat Crime branch, recalled Tuesday how two automobiles filled with explosives were discovered in the Punagam and Varachha areas.

"We were on out toes rushing from one place to another defusing bombs from the most unexpected of sites", said Sarwaiya.

According to him, the bombs in Surat did not go off as the batteries "were of low voltage".

"The bombs recovered were of concave shapes covered from the underside, carved in wood. For instance we found bombs behind the signboard at a shop in Mahidharpura Mini Hira bazaar, on the branch of a tree outside municipal garden in Sarthana area and several other places", Sarwaiya said.

Patel claimed that after three months, Gujarat's then-chief minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had honoured all of Gandhinagar's, Ahmedabad's, and Surat's bomb disposal squads.

"I got a reward of Rs 45,000 in the event which was attended by then MoS (Home) Amit Shah, and DGP P C Pande," he said.

About the role of Pathan and Zahir in the blasts, Sarwaiya said, "Zahir helped Tanveer by bringing cycles and other materials like pellets, wires, etc., while Tanveer accompanied by the SIMI activists from outside Gujarat showed them locations where bombs would be planted. Zahir was doing petty jobs, while Tanveer Pathan was working in an air conditioner repairing firm. His father runs a stall selling bakery items."

Patel claimed that after three months, Gujarat's then-chief minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had honoured all of Gandhinagar's, Ahmedabad's, and Surat's bomb disposal squads.