Bombing at restaurant in India leaves 1 person dead, 1 wounded

One person was killed and another wounded when a bomb blst outside a restaurant rocked the southern Indian city of Bangalore on Sunday.

The evening blast, termed a terrorist attack by authorities, came two weeks after Bangalore police arrested a 24-year-old man who ran a Twitter account they say glorified the Islamic State militant group.

Police commissioner M.N. Reddi told reporters that an improvised explosive device had been placed in a flowerpot outside the Coconut Grove in the heart of Bangalore, capital of the state of Karnataka. “The entire police force of the city has been mobilized,” he said.

Earlier in the month, Bangalore police said they were tightening security after receiving a threat of a terrorist strike and the possible arrival of an Al Qaeda recruiter.

No group immediately took responsibility for Sunday’s bombing. But it was likely to fuel fears of further attacks in India by Pakistan-based militants or by Al Qaeda-affiliated militants.

Police told reporters that the blast was apparently intended to create fear in the city and across the nation.

Following the explosion, Home Minister Rajnath Singh called the chief minister of Karnataka, S Siddaramaiah, to promise all possible help from the central government.

According to reports, intelligence agencies are concerned that the blast could have been a trial run for larger attacks in bigger Indian cities.

Parth M.N. is a special correspondent.