Goa bombers had 3 successful dry runs, botched up actual strike

Less than two months before they allegedly set out to explode bombs at Diwali celebrations in Goa on October 16, the Sanatan Sanstha members—who were killed when one of the bombs went off prematurely—and their accomplices are believed to have conducted at least three successful trial runs in Goa and Maharashtra.

Goa Police have disclosed this in their application to a local court opposing the bail plea of Dilip Mangaonkar, the fourth man in their custody in connection with the blast. Mangaonkar has been named as a conspirator and is alleged to have been present during the trial runs.

The application says that two trials were held on August 25 and 26 on a hillock in Talaulim in Ponda taluka in South Goa where Mangaonkar was present. "There were eight people during the trial run including Malgounda Patil and Yogesh Naik, who died in the Margao blast," a senior police officer said. "Engineering student Dhananjay Ashtekar and Vinay Talekar, who planted the bomb in a truck in Sancaole, was also present."