HYDERABAD: Three blasts occurred on Wednesday within the precinct of a heavily guarded government offices complex, Shahbaz Building, causing panic and fear but no damage or casualties.

The back-to-back explosions were caused by crackers, one of them was placed beneath a car and two others were lying on the nearby lawn of the divisional directorate of information and the Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA), officials said.

The complex, housing the HDA and the directorate, as well as the regional election commission and offices of various departments, has been heavily guarded these days by security personnel as part of a countrywide high alert sounded over a threat of terrorism in reaction to the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan.

Police and intelligence officials carried out search and inspection of the scene and cleared the area after collecting the casings of the crackers.

Hyderabad DIG Sanaullah Abbasi, presiding over a scheduled meeting of Hyderabad range police officers on Wednesday, issued new directives to all DPOs regarding a beefed up security. Hyderabad ASP Umar Tufail said no unauthorised vehicle was being allowed into Shahbaz Building.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2014