NAVI MUMBAI/MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on Thursday sounded a state-wide alert , asking all police stations to start regular nakabandis , after two bomb episodes in a span of 24 hours in the Mumbai region.On Wednesday night, an improvised explosive device (IED) was found in a state transport bus at Apta , about 15km from Panvel , in Raigad district. A senior ATS official said: “After the Pulwama attack, this device could be an attempt by miscreants to create panic. It appears to be a low-intensity device assembled hurriedly. This is the second bomb incident, after Wednesday’s low intensity blast in Dahisar.”The bomb, wrapped in clear plastic, was first noticed by the conductor in a bag under a seat of the ST bus after all the passengers got off at the Apta bus depot at around 10.15 pm on Wednesday. After receiving information, the Raigad bomb disposal squad and sniffer dogs from Alibaug reached the depot to help the police team.The bomb, defused early on Thursday by the Raigad bomb squad, resembles an improvised explosive device. “The bomb contained around 500g urea, battery wiring and an LED strip as the mechanism to trigger it, similar to a timer bomb,” said sub-inspector Hanuman More, the Raigad bomb squad in-charge.“We disconnected the battery power source and neutralised the bomb. The intensity of the IED cannot be ascertained unless we get the analysis report from forensic science laboratory. The IED could have exploded due to the trigger of LED strip and the urea stuffed in the device. The trigger mechanism can be found out only by FSL experts,” explained More. District officials said several metal pieces and nails were found packed inside the explosive device.The Maharashtra ATS has started a parallel investigation. “We have sounded an alert and asked all police stations, including Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, to be more cautious,” a senior Maharashtra ATS official told TOI.An alert has been sounded in all state transport bus depots in Maharashtra on Thursday. MSRTC managing director Ranjit Singh Deol appealed to the more than 65 lakh daily ST bus commuters to not panic. “We are taking maximum precaution to ensure our passengers have a safe journey. Every bus will be checked while leaving or entering depots/bus stations. I have also sent an advisory on Thursday, directing all drivers and conductors to be on alert during journeys.”Sources in the undertaking said the bus on which the IED was found had completed three journeys before the discovery. “There were more than 50 passengers in the first journey between Alibaug and Karjat and police are investigating whether any passenger travelling on this route had left behind the bag. The bus then went to Pen and later to Apta,” said an official. The police have sought CCTV footage from places the bus went to.“An FIR has been registered at Rasayani police station against unidentified accused under section 286 of IPC for negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance and section 4 of the Indian Explosives Act for attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property,” said Raigad SP Anil Paraskar.The police warned citizens to be wary of unattended bags and to immediately inform any emergency number, like 100, or their local police station.(With inputs from S Ahmed Ali, Somit Sen and Sandhya Nair)

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