The Sanatan Sanstha activists, two of whom succumbed to their injuries in the October 16 blast in Goa, had planned to plant four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at different locations in Goa on the eve of Diwali, police sources told media persons.
“Their plan was to trigger off blasts in quick succession in Margao, Vasco, Sancoale and Curchorem in crowded areas to create panic in Goa,” a senior police official said.
The IED defused at Sancoale, had been planted in a van parked 100 metres from the Shantadurga temple. Vinay Talekar, 27, an MBA from Karwar, and Vinayak Patil, 30, a driver, were arrested for allegedly planting the explosive at Sancoale on November 07.
They confessed to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that they were instructed to head directly to Vasco on their scooter, where they were to meet up with the other two men who died in the blast. Duo’s arrests have given the Special Investigation Team an insight into the working of a subversive cell within the Sanatan. The SIT also recovered some incriminating evidence connected to the IEDs from a field in South Goa after their interrogation. Police say the three men had connections that date back some years. “Malgonda came from the Jat taluka in Sangli which is close to Belgaum. Both these men were close friends of his and stayed with him in the ashram frequently,” Superintendent of Police A.V. Deshpande said.