Serial blasts rock Delhi; 30 dead, 90 injured

NEW DELHI, India (eTN) Five bombs have ripped through busy shopping areas of India’s capital, New Delhi, within minutes of each other, killing 30 people and injuring at least 90 others, police say.

There have been a series of 5 low-intensity bomb blasts in Delhi earlier today. A group called the Indian Mujahideen has sent emails to the media to claim responsibility.

These blasts are clearly targeted at destabilizing the region and creating tension between the religious communities. They may also be linked to the issue of Kashmir. Authorities have launched an investigation, according to reports.”

“All our guests in Delhi are fine and accounted for,” said Rajev Kohi, eTN Ambassador and director of Creative India Travel. “Tours are currently slated to continue as per plan. We shall keep you posted at developments come to light. At this stage we do not feel there is any reason to panic or for the general safety of travelers to India.”

Kohi added: “To reiterate, the situation on the ground is calm. At this time all our guests are safe and out of harms way.”

It has become nauseatingly familiar. Low-intensity bombs placed in crowded markets, killing and maiming children, their parents, unsuspecting shoppers, unmindful of their caste, creed or religion. Within a month and a half of Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad terror blasts, came the attacks on Delhi on Saturday.

In all, five bombs went off in less than half an hour. Two of them in the heart of Delhi in Connaught Place, two at the upscale Greater Kailash M Block market in south Delhi, and one, the most damaging one, in the crowded Ghaffar Market in Karol Bagh. Three more bombs were defused, one of them at the popular Children’s Park in India Gate, indicating the depraved mind of the terrorists.

The first blast took place at Ghaffar Market at 6:10 pm. Soon after that, two explosions rocked Connaught Place, one at Barakambha Road near Gopaldas Building at 6.30 pm and the other near the Metro station at the Central Park at 6.31 pm. Almost simultaneously, a blast hit M-block market in Greater Kailash-I near McDonald’s and seven minutes later another bomb went off near Prince Pan Corner in the same market.

The Indian Mujahideen, regarded by security agencies as a front of the Lashkar-Huji terror machine, has claimed responsibility for the blasts. The Indian Mujahideen email, titled “the Message of Death”, said. “In the name of Allah, Indian Mujahideen strikes back once more. … Do whatever you can. Stop us if you can.”

This group had sent emails before the UP court blasts, the Jaipur and Ahmedabad blasts. This time, too, it sent an email to media groups, however, 10 minutes after the first blast. And for the third time, it specifically threatened The Times of India for attacking terror.

All blasts were of low intensity, and the defused bombs suggest they used the cocktail of ammonium nitrate, gun powder, ball bearings and nails, with timer devices , the same kind of bombs that were used in Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad, indicating that it’s the same group that’s wreaking terror across the country.

Eyewitnesses said that explosives at Connaught Place were kept in a dustbin in Central Park of Connaught Place while at Gopaldas building, the bombs were kept in a dustbin next to the bus stand. An 11-year-old boy, Rohit (name changed) who had witnessed two persons wearing a black dress putting two plastic bags inside the dustbin, is being examined by the cops.

Police say the first blast in Karol Bagh was the result of a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cylinder explosion. The impact of the blasts in Karol Bagh could be gauged by the fact that an auto was thrown up in the air and got caught in the electrical wires. “The terrorist have used the CNG autorickshaw to maximise the impact and we have so far not been able to find the number plate of the vehicle,” said a police officer.

Eyewitnesses claim that explosives were loaded on a bicycle near Prince Pan Centre in GK I and another inside a dustbin near McDonald’s. All the blasts were of low intensity and ball bearings were used to maximize the impact, said investigators.

In GK’s M block market, the blast took place next to a Maruti car to maximize the impact but it did not explode averting a bigger tragedy. Cops said that a low intensity blast with a timer was used to trigger the blast. The second blast which took place next to a pan shop was higher intensity but shopkeepers and shoppers had evacuated the area by then, reducing the human loss. All the blast sites were popular shopping destinations, and all of them were teeming with people on weekend shopping.

Three unexploded bombs were found later taking the total number of bombs to 8. The first was found near India Gate inside a dustbin at the Children’s Park and one was defused at Regal Cinema Hall which was lying on the road, while another one was found at Central Park, again inside a dustbin. A National Security Guard (NSG) team defused the bombs after they were informed by the witnesses about unclaimed objects. NSG experts were assessing the situation and nature of explosives used.

Joint Commissioner of Police, Special cell, Karnal Singh said, “The nature of explosives and bombs used are similar to those used in Jaipur and Ahmedabad. Chemicals were used along with nails and ball bearings and it was set off using electronic timers.”

The police are scanning CCTV footage of the GK I M block market and at Karol Bagh area to zero in on suspects. Delhi Police say that the Capital was always on high alert but there was no specific threat perception. It had gone down after the terror module of SIMI-Indian Mujahideen ring was allegedly busted by Ahmedabad police.

The Delhi Police have also installed a helpline for victims and any person willing to provide information and seek assistance. People can call on 011-23490212. Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said, “We have got vital clues on the blasts and are examining the same.”

(With wire inputs.)