NEW DELHI/ GAYA : The bombers of Bodh Gaya are likely to have come from outside Gaya as none of the ingredients of the 13 bombs planted in and around the Mahabodhi temple complex seem to have been locally procured.

Investigators on Tuesday scanned local markets but could not find a shop that sells such small LPG gas cylinders as were used in making the bombs. Terrorists had used empty 2kg gas cylinders as containers for the explosive cocktail of ammonium nitrate, sulphur and potassium and wired it with a battery, detonator and `Lotus’ brand analogous clock to make the bombs.

Sources said even the lock and battery did not point to local logistics having been involved. “We haven’t yet been able to establish where the cylinders, batteries and timers were bought from. These are the biggest material leads in the case as of now. Locally we could not find them, but investigations are still on,” said an official involved in the investigation of the case.

The National Investigations Agency (NIA), which is conducting the probe as it is likely to given the investigations officially, is currently scanning various phone numbers in the area that were operational in the hours before the blasts. “As yet no concrete clue has been found but we have some leads and we are working on them. Various people are being questioned,” a senior NIA officer said.

The agency on Tuesday questioned five more persons in connection with the serial blasts. While four of the fresh suspects had checked in at Tathagat Hotel, located close to the Buddhist shrine, for two hours a little before the blasts, the fifth person is said to be Dashrath Yadav, a resident of Sonbarse village under the Barachatti police station area of Gaya district.

Sources said Yadav was picked up on the basis of revelations made by Vinod Mistry, who was detained on Monday as his voter ID was found at the blast site. Yadav’s name was also mentioned in Mistry’s diary. Both Mistry, who is a carpenter, and Yadav hail from the Maoist-prone Barachatti police station area. Activities of a resident of the Mohanpur police station area of Gaya who is said to be an IM supporter are also being checked, said sources.

The case also got a new twist on Tuesday with Bihar Police sources claiming that three employees of the temple trust at Bodh Gaya were missing since the blasts. They had joined only six months ago and police is now looking for them. It is not yet clear though if they could have had a hand in the blasts.