'Pune blast despite forces being on alert'

Defence Minister A K Antony said on Monday that the Pune blast took place despite the security forces being on an alert.

"Regarding national and internal security, we always keep the forces on alert. But even with all this apparatus in place, another tragedy in Pune happened," he said while addressing a press conference at the Defexpo in New Delhi.

However, the Minister declined to comment on the impact of the blasts on the Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan, saying, "The Minister for External affairs (S M Krishna) has already given the government reaction. I don't want to add to it."Antony was asked if the February 13 blasts in Pune will have any impact on the talks between the two countries.

After the blasts in Pune on February 13, in which nine people had died, Krishna had also denied to comment on the talks saying, "I am not going to talk about the talks right now. Let us wait for the report (of the investigative agencies) first."