21 dead, many hurt in Mumbai blasts
Mumbai: At least 21 people were killed and more than 130 injured as three blasts ripped through congested areas of India's financial heart Mumbai Wednesday evening, triggering angry reactions from the residents still battling the horrific memories of the 26/11.
Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan put the death toll at 17. He said 100 people were injured. But other official sources later said 21 were killed and over 130 injured.
In New Delhi, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram confirmed it as a terrorist attack.
Both the chief minister and the union home minister appealed for peace while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later issued a statement condemning the attacks and urging people to stay calm.
"The National Security Guard (NSG) is standby," Chidambaram said.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) who are in Mumbai already for another investigation has been asked to work with Mumbai Police, he said.
"The entire city of Mumbai is on high alert. But stay calm," Chidambaram said.
Powerful explosives were used in the Opera House blast, said Chavan.
He said Mumbai is attacked because it the financial hub of India.
The blasts took place in Dadar West in central Mumbai and the upscale Opera House and the crowded Zaveri Bazar, the hub of jewellery trade, in south Mumbai.
Police, fire brigade and rescue teams had rushed to the spots, while the home ministry has confirmed it as a terror attack.
The hand of Indian Mujahideen, a front group of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, is suspected behind the Wednesday attacks.
One blast was in a car in Dadar West's Kabutar Khana area near the railway station.
The blasts occurred between 645 and 7 pm.
"Everyone was in blood and running. I put eight people in cabs for hospital. It was utter chaos," said one eye witness identified as Suraj at Zaveri Bazaar.
Hemant Mehta, an angry Mumbai resident, exploded before a TV channel slamming the Congress governments at the Centres for the past many decades.
"This is the pinnacle of shamelessness," he blurted out before a national network and saying India is paying the price of electing the Congress for more than past 50 years.
"We go out and do not know if we will return home safely," he said.
Zaveri Bazaar is the soft target of the terrorists which was attacked before, including during the 1993 serial blasts. It was also one the targets in 2003.
Mumbai as well as all Indian cities were put on high alert following the blasts.
At least 166 people were killed and over 300 injured in the worst terrorist attack on Mumbai in Nov 2011 when Pakistani terrorists who came by sea laid siege to the city's key places and luxury hotels for days.
There were seven train blasts on July 11, 2006 on the Mumbai Suburban Railway network killing about 209. About 700 were injured.
Mumbai: At least 21 people were killed and more than 130 injured as three blasts ripped through congested areas of India's financial heart Mumbai Wednesday evening, triggering angry reactions from the residents still battling the horrific memories of the 26/11. Maharashtra chief minister...
Mumbai: At least 21 people were killed and more than 130 injured as three blasts ripped through congested areas of India's financial heart Mumbai Wednesday evening, triggering angry reactions from the residents still battling the horrific memories of the 26/11.
Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan put the death toll at 17. He said 100 people were injured. But other official sources later said 21 were killed and over 130 injured.
In New Delhi, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram confirmed it as a terrorist attack.
Both the chief minister and the union home minister appealed for peace while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later issued a statement condemning the attacks and urging people to stay calm.
"The National Security Guard (NSG) is standby," Chidambaram said.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) who are in Mumbai already for another investigation has been asked to work with Mumbai Police, he said.
"The entire city of Mumbai is on high alert. But stay calm," Chidambaram said.
Powerful explosives were used in the Opera House blast, said Chavan.
He said Mumbai is attacked because it the financial hub of India.
The blasts took place in Dadar West in central Mumbai and the upscale Opera House and the crowded Zaveri Bazar, the hub of jewellery trade, in south Mumbai.
Police, fire brigade and rescue teams had rushed to the spots, while the home ministry has confirmed it as a terror attack.
The hand of Indian Mujahideen, a front group of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, is suspected behind the Wednesday attacks.
One blast was in a car in Dadar West's Kabutar Khana area near the railway station.
The blasts occurred between 645 and 7 pm.
"Everyone was in blood and running. I put eight people in cabs for hospital. It was utter chaos," said one eye witness identified as Suraj at Zaveri Bazaar.
Hemant Mehta, an angry Mumbai resident, exploded before a TV channel slamming the Congress governments at the Centres for the past many decades.
"This is the pinnacle of shamelessness," he blurted out before a national network and saying India is paying the price of electing the Congress for more than past 50 years.
"We go out and do not know if we will return home safely," he said.
Zaveri Bazaar is the soft target of the terrorists which was attacked before, including during the 1993 serial blasts. It was also one the targets in 2003.
Mumbai as well as all Indian cities were put on high alert following the blasts.
At least 166 people were killed and over 300 injured in the worst terrorist attack on Mumbai in Nov 2011 when Pakistani terrorists who came by sea laid siege to the city's key places and luxury hotels for days.
There were seven train blasts on July 11, 2006 on the Mumbai Suburban Railway network killing about 209. About 700 were injured.
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