Exactly a month after the blast using an improvised explosive device (IED) that left 11 policemen and five civilians injured near the BJP office in Malleswaram on April 17, nothing seems to have changed on the ground.
The huge tree near which the blast occurred has become the cynosure of all eyes with most passers-by stopping there to take a look at the scarred remains.
Shaken by the incident, many of the residents in Malleswaram have ordered for CCTV cameras to be installed outside their homes.
Narayana Reddy, whose house suffered the maximum damage in the blast, said, “Earlier, we had installed CCTV cameras only inside our house. But, after the bomb blast, we installed CCTV cameras outside the house also. If we had installed it outside earlier, it may have helped the investigation in identifying the person who parked the motorbike in front of our house.”
No Compensation till date
Narayana Reddy noted that his newly-constructed house was badly damaged in the blast.
“The BBMP and PWD officials had inspected the house and recommended a `17 lakh compensation, but, till now, not even a rupee has been released. We cannot wait till they sanction money, so we started reconstructing the house”, Reddy said.
Vijayendra Rao, a shopkeeper at the blast site, said, “I am a 70 years old and I have been running this ice cream shop for four year having invested my savings after retirement. In the blast, there was complete damage to refrigerator, the new drapes and other material in my shop, but till now, no compensation has been given by the government and I have decided to close the shop as I do not have money to run the shop”.
The condition of Ramanna, who runs a tailoring shop in the area, is no different.
Speaking to Express, Rammanna said, “Clothes which costumers had given for stitching have been completely burnt in the blast. They are coming and asking for their clothes. I don’t know what to do, we are very poor and no compensation has been given to us till now, to take this burden. I will have to work for one year without any profit.”
