Once again the peace and calm of Mumbai was shattered Wednesday evening as three blasts ripped through the most congested areas of the city, leaving 21 people dead and 145 others injured. The blasts took place between 6.50 pm and 7.04 pm at Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar — home to the country’s biggest diamond and gold markets — and near Kabutarkhana at Dadar, the main market for affordable household items and domestic appliances.
Eyewitnesses reported some of the blasts could be heard half a kilometre away. While the blasts at Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar were of relatively lower intensity, the one at Opera House was the biggest, and led to the deaths of five people, including diamond traders who were either going to deposit their diamonds or leaving for home.
The first blast, at Zaveri Bazaar at 6.55 pm, was a low intensity one and occurred outside a famous eatery where people gather for a quick snack after office hours. “Due to the congested street, a stampede ensued after the blast, leaving many injured. While eight to 10 people were injured in the blast, two or three people suffered injuries in the stampede,” the police said. No deaths were reported at this spot.
The second blast, at 6.59 pm at Kabutarkhana, Dadar, was also a low intensity one, where 10-12 people were injured. Eyewitnesses said the blast ripped through a BEST bus stop, though initially it was believed the bomb had been placed in a car. The police later confirmed that the car was merely passing by and was damaged by the impact of the blast.
The third blast, at Opera House at 7.04 pm, was of the highest intensity. “This place is generally crowded in the evenings as diamond traders are either visiting the safe deposit lockers to deposit their diamonds or people are heading home,” said Jayesh Labbe, committee member of the Bombay Diamond Association. He added that the street where the blast occurred would see nearly 3,000-4,000 people passing through it, also due its proximity to the “khau galli” and Charni Road station, hence the casualty rate was very high.
Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, confirming that it was a terror attack, refused to speculate on who or which group was behind the blasts. “It is too early to take a call on who might have perpetrated the blasts,” said Mr Chavan. Mumbai commissioner of police Arup Patnaik said IEDs were used in the blasts, and he suspected it was a planned terror attack.
Personnel of the NSG, ATS, BDDS and the Mumbai crime branch were pressed into action, while Union home minister P. Chidambaram said in New Delhi that NIA teams stationed in New Delhi and Hyderabad had been dispatched to investigate Wednesday evening’s attacks.
The Union home minister was expected to reach Mumbai late Wednesday night to take stock of the situation and meet the injured and the familes of those killed in the blasts.
Officials said Mr Chidambaram would visit the three blast sites after arrival and then visit the hospitals where the injured had been admitted.
Immediately after the blasts in Mumbai, a high alert was sounded in New Delhi and other major metropolises across the country, including Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, with vigil particularly stepped up at crowded locations like markets, religious places and vital installations. The Union home ministry said the hand of the Lashkar-eTayabba and the Indian Mujahideen was suspected. These blasts occurred two days after the fifth anniversary of the July 11, 2006 serial train blasts in Mumbai.