Pune blasts: Sleuths find Headley link

Investigators have found "footprints" of US terror suspect David Headley in the Pune blast and hope to get a breakthrough "very soon" following intensive questioning of some people, mostly locals. Highly placed sources said on Wednesday that the plan of exploding the high-intensity bomb at the German Bakery was executed by some local terror modules with help from outside Maharashtra.

Sleuths have fanned out to a few places outside the state, including Bengaluru, to question some people and they were expecting a breakthrough "very soon". "Investigation is on right track. More or less we have identified the people behind the blast. It has some links with Headley's visit to Pune," a senior official said.

Headley had in visited the Osho Ashram, located near the German Bakery in Koregaon Park, twice. The terror attack at the famous eatery left 11 persons dead and injured over 50. Headley is currently in US custody in connection with the Mumbai terror attack. According to the investigators, Headley had moved to Pune from Goa to carry out a recee of the area around Koregaon Park. The area is also home to a Jewish prayer house.

A CCTV footage of the area outside the Bakery has thrown no major leads for investigators as a clear coverage of the area outside was available only for the time around 1830 hours--before the attack-- when two men were seen coming from opposite directions and exchanging greetings for some 10 seconds after which they left.