ID :
194901
Wed, 07/13/2011 - 22:06
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3 blasts in Mumbai, 21 killed, 113 injured
Mumbai, July 13 (PTI) Terror struck western Indian
city Mumbai when three near simultaneous blasts ripped through
crowded areas in the Wednesday evening killing at least 21
people and injuring 113 in a grim reminder of the deadly 2008
Mumbai attack.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said 21
people had died in the back-to-back explosions which struck in
a span of 14 minutes, apparently aimed at causing maximum
casualties during the peak hour.
Indian Home Minister P Chidamabaram said the quick
succession of the blasts showed that it was a "coordinated
attack by terrorists."
All the explosions were triggered by Improvised
Explosive Devices (IED), a Home Ministry official said, adding
113 were injured.
The first explosion rocked Zaveri Bazar, a popular
jewellery market, at 6.50 pm (IST) and a minute later another
blast shook the busy business area Opera House. A third blast
ripped through crowded Dadar area in Central Mumbai at 7.04
pm.
The blast sites were splattered with blood as some
bodies lay strewn around while cars and motorcyles were
charred in the impact of the explosions in the country's
financial capital.
The terror strike which revived memories of the Mumbai
attack that left 166 dead coincided with the 24th birthday of
Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving Pakistani gunman in the
carnage. Kasab has been sentenced to death.
No group claimed responsibility but Mumbai police
suspects the hand of Indian Mujahideen(IM). Chavan declined to
speculate on who could be behind the attack.
Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik said the
blasts at Opera House and Zaveri Bazaar were of a higher
intensity than the one at Dadar.
"It is a terror act. Quite obvious that some terror
element is involved in the attack. Zaveri Bazaar blast
exploded with use of IED kept in an abandoned umbrella. All
three blasts occurred between 6.50 and 7 pm," Patnaik said.
All the injured have suffered burn injuries.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said the blast
at Opera House was the "most powerful". He appealed to people
to maintain calm and not to get swayed by rumours.
The explosions struck this metropolis two days after
the fifth anniversary of the serial train blasts here that had
left 186 dead and 800 injured.
While the blast in Zaveri Bazaar was triggered through
explosives planted in an umbrella, the one in Dadar West was
caused by an explosive device concealed in a meter box of the
electric cabinet of a BEST bus stop. Preliminary reports said
that the explosives were kept inside a Maruti Esteem in the
Dadar blast. Police late Wednesday night said the blast at
Dadar was of low intensity.
The umbrella was apparently used to camouflage the
explosive during the downpour being witnessed in the city, in
the bustling Khau Gali in Zaveri Bazaar, according to police
commissioner Arup Patnaik.
The scene of the blast in Dadar is less than a
kilometre from the headquarters of hardline saffron outfit
Shiv Sena.
The Opera House blast took place at Prasad Chamber
building where a loud explosion was heard around 6.45 pm and
people ran helter-skelter in blood-soaked clothes with shards
of glass strewn all over the area.
The blast at Khau Gali in Dadar, outside the
'Mohanbhai' stall, left several mutilitated bodies lying in a
pool of blood.
"The entire lane was splashed with blood...There were
4-5 mutilated bodies lying around and people were fleeing the
spot in fear," said Vijay, a carpenter.
According to Jayant Patil, guardian minister for
Mumbai, 29 injured were brought to Harkishandas hospital from
Opera House of whom six were serious.
At St Georges hospital, co-director Pravin Shingare
said of the nine admitted there one was in a critical
condition, while among 19 admitted to GT Hospital one was
serious.
Seven injured at Dadar have been admitted to KEM
Hospital, while several others are undergoing treatment at
Saifee and JJ Hospitals.
Two teams of CFSL from Delhi and Hyderabad have been
rushed to Mumbai where NSG and NIA personnel are assisting the
local police in investigations.
The city has been put on a high alert with pickets
erected at several places, city police commissioner Arup
Patnaik said.
city Mumbai when three near simultaneous blasts ripped through
crowded areas in the Wednesday evening killing at least 21
people and injuring 113 in a grim reminder of the deadly 2008
Mumbai attack.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said 21
people had died in the back-to-back explosions which struck in
a span of 14 minutes, apparently aimed at causing maximum
casualties during the peak hour.
Indian Home Minister P Chidamabaram said the quick
succession of the blasts showed that it was a "coordinated
attack by terrorists."
All the explosions were triggered by Improvised
Explosive Devices (IED), a Home Ministry official said, adding
113 were injured.
The first explosion rocked Zaveri Bazar, a popular
jewellery market, at 6.50 pm (IST) and a minute later another
blast shook the busy business area Opera House. A third blast
ripped through crowded Dadar area in Central Mumbai at 7.04
pm.
The blast sites were splattered with blood as some
bodies lay strewn around while cars and motorcyles were
charred in the impact of the explosions in the country's
financial capital.
The terror strike which revived memories of the Mumbai
attack that left 166 dead coincided with the 24th birthday of
Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving Pakistani gunman in the
carnage. Kasab has been sentenced to death.
No group claimed responsibility but Mumbai police
suspects the hand of Indian Mujahideen(IM). Chavan declined to
speculate on who could be behind the attack.
Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik said the
blasts at Opera House and Zaveri Bazaar were of a higher
intensity than the one at Dadar.
"It is a terror act. Quite obvious that some terror
element is involved in the attack. Zaveri Bazaar blast
exploded with use of IED kept in an abandoned umbrella. All
three blasts occurred between 6.50 and 7 pm," Patnaik said.
All the injured have suffered burn injuries.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said the blast
at Opera House was the "most powerful". He appealed to people
to maintain calm and not to get swayed by rumours.
The explosions struck this metropolis two days after
the fifth anniversary of the serial train blasts here that had
left 186 dead and 800 injured.
While the blast in Zaveri Bazaar was triggered through
explosives planted in an umbrella, the one in Dadar West was
caused by an explosive device concealed in a meter box of the
electric cabinet of a BEST bus stop. Preliminary reports said
that the explosives were kept inside a Maruti Esteem in the
Dadar blast. Police late Wednesday night said the blast at
Dadar was of low intensity.
The umbrella was apparently used to camouflage the
explosive during the downpour being witnessed in the city, in
the bustling Khau Gali in Zaveri Bazaar, according to police
commissioner Arup Patnaik.
The scene of the blast in Dadar is less than a
kilometre from the headquarters of hardline saffron outfit
Shiv Sena.
The Opera House blast took place at Prasad Chamber
building where a loud explosion was heard around 6.45 pm and
people ran helter-skelter in blood-soaked clothes with shards
of glass strewn all over the area.
The blast at Khau Gali in Dadar, outside the
'Mohanbhai' stall, left several mutilitated bodies lying in a
pool of blood.
"The entire lane was splashed with blood...There were
4-5 mutilated bodies lying around and people were fleeing the
spot in fear," said Vijay, a carpenter.
According to Jayant Patil, guardian minister for
Mumbai, 29 injured were brought to Harkishandas hospital from
Opera House of whom six were serious.
At St Georges hospital, co-director Pravin Shingare
said of the nine admitted there one was in a critical
condition, while among 19 admitted to GT Hospital one was
serious.
Seven injured at Dadar have been admitted to KEM
Hospital, while several others are undergoing treatment at
Saifee and JJ Hospitals.
Two teams of CFSL from Delhi and Hyderabad have been
rushed to Mumbai where NSG and NIA personnel are assisting the
local police in investigations.
The city has been put on a high alert with pickets
erected at several places, city police commissioner Arup
Patnaik said.
