IANS

Panaji, Oct 21: The main accused in the Diwali eve blast in Goa's Margao town had told police about several others involved in the conspiracy before succumbing to his injuries, says Home Minister Ravi Naik.

Sanatan Sanstha member Malgonda Patil, who received serious injuries in the explosion while ferrying the IED (improvised explosive device) with an accomplice, had spoken to police officials while he was being carried from one hospital to another in an ambulance, Naik told a local cable news channel.

"Malgonda Patil has told the police who was involved. Patil spoke to them while he was being carried from the Hospicio hospital (in Margao) to the Goa Medical College (Panaji) for treatment," Naik said. "Some of it may be kept secret by the police, but he has named some people who are involved."

While Sangli-based Patil died Friday night, his accomplice Yogesh Naik passed away early Tuesday.

Five days after the blast, police here have neither arrested anybody in connection with the crime nor named any person in the First Information Report (FIR) other than the two deceased.

Contrary to the home minister's statement, police officials maintain that neither Patil nor Naik were in a position to speak much when they were brought to the hospital.

Both Sanatan Sanstha members had their hip and upper thigh region shattered due to the impact of gelatin sticks used in the blast.

Patil and Naik were ferrying the IED on a two wheeler Friday evening when the explosion took place in Margao, 35 km from here. Naik was driving the scooter, while Patil was riding pillion.

Three other IEDs, two of which were found unexploded near the blast site and the other about 30 km away near Vasco, did not go off.