Two bombs went off in Hyderabad, India, just after 7 p.m. on Feb. 21, killing at least 15 people and injuring as many as 100. The explosions took place in the Dilsukh Nagar area — the first in close proximity to a bus stand and a crowded fruit market and the second near the popular Konark Theater. A third explosive that failed to detonate was found near the Venkatadri Theater. Dilsukh Nagar is adjacent to a highway that commuters use to access the HITEC City business corridor, where several large Western companies have research and development centers, IT call centers and offshore development units. The explosions were likely the work of Indian Mujahideen, a militant group that had previously conducted similar attacks. In other assaults orchestrated by Indian Mujahideen, the group transported explosives on bicycles or motorbikes, or disguised them in everyday items such as bags or metal canisters used to carry lunches, and then detonated them using timing devices. Similar tactics were likely used in the Feb. 21 attack. Hyderabad has been targeted by militants in the recent past, including Indian Mujahideen, using small, relatively cheap explosive devices placed in heavily congested areas. As an indigenous group, Indian Mujahideen's operational capabilities are limited to small explosives and soft targets — hence the two explosions resulting in about 15 deaths. Such limitations, as well as Indian Mujahideen's tendency toward low-cost, low-risk operations, means that the corporate facilities in Hyderabad that have good security measures will likely remain outside of the group's target set.
