Three Blasts In New Delhi

123jump.com Staff
29 Oct, 2001
New York City

New Delhi was jolted by a series of three bomb blasts in the late evening on Saturday and killed sixty five people and injured eighty ruining Diwali festival. The blast occured at 5:40 PM Indian time. The deadliest blast, since the attack on Indian parliament on Dec 13, 2001 which killed twelve people. The Indian authorities fear the latest attack may be a work of terrorist linked and suppored by Pakistan regime.

India’s capital New Delhi was rocked by a series of three blasts between 5:40 pm and 6:30 pm Indian time. The Pakistan supported and Kashmir based Lashkare- Toiba is suspected by Indian authorities behind the series of blasts. At least fifty people have been confirmed dead.

The blasts occurred first in Paharganj, shopping district, near New Delhi railway station. Crowded area filled with holiday shoppers faced the worst of casualties. The total count of casualties is not yet known, but it is feared that more than thirty people have died in this explosion.

Second blast occurred at Sarojini Nagar, center for bargain hunters, approximately 30 minutes later killing more than twenty people. The shopper filled open bazaar was filled with people from all walks of life.

The third blast occurred in a bus at Govindpuri, and industrial area, in South Delhi. Four people have been critically injured and number of casualties is still not known.

Sources in New Delhi fear that these blasts may have been planned months in advance using RDX bomb material to terrorize people during the holiday season. Neighboring states, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and financial capital Mumbai are in a state of high alert. Authorities fear that other blasts may have been coordinated.

Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, said in a statement from Kolkata that blasts are clear work of terrorists and added that “no terrorism can win against India. India will win battle against terrorism.”

Authorities have ordered a shut down of the city of 12 million residents.

India is in the midst of five-day Hindu festival and Diwali celebration. Traditional Diwali festival is celebrated by Hindus around the world culminating in religious ceremonies on Tuesday. New Year in Hindu calendar begins on Wednesday.