Desi Train

Update 24: July 12, 2006

Are politicians involved?

About 190 dead. 625 injured, many fighting for life on hospital beds.

According to Aaj Tak, the 4 suspected second rung leaders in LeT were in Bombay, 2 months ago. The Mumbai Crime Branch got this information and raided several houses in Jogeshwari, where they were supposed to be hiding. I guess the 4 terrorists got wind of it and fled before the police team could arrive. They could have also seen the news where the cops arrested many in Nagpur and seized a huge amount of RDX from them, and that could have made them run and hide for the next two months only to resurface on 7/11.

Aaj Tak also pointed to the presently weak Mumbai Crime Branch, because all it’s core team consisting of Daya Nayak and others, who had a deep and reliable intelligence network, have either been transferred by the politicians or are involved in fighting court cases slapped against them.

This Rediff article, though, caught my eye. Politicians could be involved in what happened to us on 7/11. Read on…

Political figures in Maharashtra are under the police scanner for their ’suspicious’ activities and action will be taken against them at an appropriate time, state police chief P S Pasricha said in Mumbai on Wednesday.

“Unki harkate theek nahin hain (Their activities do not seem to be right),” he told media persons, adding that the police was keeping a close watch on these political figures. However, he did not give details about the figures.

Pasricha also did not clarify whether the figures were suspected to be involved in subversive or criminal activities in the state.

The police chief dodged a query on a media report, which claimed that a south Mumbai politician having considerable clout in a minority community was under the scanner of Intelligence agencies for his suspected role in Tuesday’s serial blasts in suburban trains.

The report quoted Intelligence sources as saying that the politician could have instigated the blasts in retaliation for a recent strife in a minority-dominated area of Thane district. Intelligence Bureau sources, however, told PTI that the politician was under the scanner for his alleged involvement in transferring money from foreign countries to India through illegal channels.

Update 23

Check out the pictures at flickr

Update 22: 1:25PM PST / 1:55AM IST

Here’s the sequence and the timings of the blast, as per Rediff:

The chronology of the seven bomb blasts that ripped through the seven suburban trains at various stations during the peak hour on Tuesday evening is as follows:

* Khar — 1824 hrs
* Bandra — 1824 hrs
* Jogeshwari — 1825 hrs
* Mahim — 1826 hrs
* Mira Road — 1829 hrs
* Matunga — 1830 hrs
* Borivali — 1835 hrs

Update 21: 12:05PM PST / 12:35am IST

Dawood and Al Qaeda???

Rediff hints at the Dawood Ibrahim and Al Qaeda joining hands to mastermind these blasts -

The expert orchestration of terrorist strikes in Jammu and Kashmir and Mumbai local trains on July 11 carry the signature of Al Qaeda, which has been carrying on an anti-India campaign since US President George W Bush’s visit to India in March this year.

Since that time, Al Qaeda has been talking of a Crusader-Jewish-Hindu conspiracy against Islam. Osama bin Laden highlighted this in his April 23 message. (In this connection, please refer to my paper No 47 titled ‘Bin Laden Targets India’ available at www.saag.org/papers18/paper1776.html.)

While there is no reason to believe that the terrorist strikes of July 11 might have been carried out by the Arab members of Al Qaeda, the inspiration and planning are likely to have come from the group.

The execution could have been through Al Qaeda’s surrogates — Lashkar-e-Tayiba, other Pakistani members of the Al Qaeda-led International Islamic Front, members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India or the followers of Dawood Ibrahim.

Pakistani media had reported last month that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence had re-located Dawood in the tribal areas near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Bin Laden and his second in line of command Ayman al-Zawahiri operate from the same area.

Since 9/11, Al Qaeda has been targeting tourist spots (Bali, Mombasa, Casablanca and Istanbul) as well as means of transport (Madrid and London).

Therefore, Al Qaeda’s inspiration behind terrorist strikes on July 11 is a strong possibility.

. . . . . .

In another report, Rediff receives an email from a British Terrorism Expert, according to whom, the masterminds of these blasts are not in India -

A British terrorism expert says the serial attacks in Mumbai were masterminded by outfits from abroad.

According to him, “The level of sophistication and organisation needed to carry out such a widespread and tightly coordinated attack is beyond the known capabilities of any of the Islamic groups operating in either Kashmir or elsewhere in India.”

In an e-mail to rediff.com immediately after the blasts, he said, “This has all the hallmarks of a Special Forces/Intelligence operation… it may have been carried out by expendable extremists, but those who were the promoters and brains have military training.”

“The Mumbai blasts is an attack on India’s soft underbelly,” said Ajit Doval, former director, Intelligence Bureau.

Doval too agrees with the views of the British expert. “From my experience I think that the blasts are not an indigenous effort. It is the exported variety of terrorism. The blasts of Mumbai have a foreign origin and it is obvious that a lot of effort has gone behind its execution.”

Doval, who extensively investigated fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s involvement in the March 12, 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, said, “The saboteurs are telling India that they are alive, kicking and have the capacity to strike at any place in India, at a time of their choosing.”

“India must give a counter message,” Doval said. “We must prove that we have the capacity to hound them wherever they are. Terrorists must get the message that the threshold level of patience of Indians is not infinite. If we don’t do something now then the enemies of India will keep surprising us.”

“Today’s blasts must have involved more than 25 people who might have knowingly and unknowingly participated. It is very likely that the masterminds are not in India. The actual perpetrators may not be more than four or five but these guys must have got help from many people. The infrastructure for these blasts must have been quite big. Motor vehicles, local agents, people who provided cover to terrorists and people who planted the devices must have been involved. They should be and will be found out.”

. . . . . .

Update 20: 12:05PM PST / 12:35AM IST

There’s still confusion over the number of blasts. According to this report just filed at DNA -

MUMBAI: Was it six, seven or perhaps even eight?

Two hours after a series of high intensity blasts rocked the Western suburban train services on Tuesday evening, confusion prevailed over the number of blasts, with officials giving out varying figures.

While Mumbai Police Commissioner AN Roy put the figure at seven, state Director General of Police PS Pasricha said he had knowledge of six blasts.

Railway control room sources said they too had knowledge of six blasts, but city police control sources said it was seven blasts, which resulted in the death of more than 100 persons.

A television channel put the blasts’ number at eight, but this was not confirmed by any authority.

Update 19: 11:35AM PST / 12:05 AM IST

Conflicting Reports. TOI just released an article quoting Intelligence agencies who say that LeT is responsible for the attacks whereas IBN publishes LeT’s statement that they are not connected to the blasts.

This according to TOI -

============================================

NEW DELHI: The terror attack on Mumbai trains was carried out by Lashkar-e-Toiba and local Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activists and was designed to trigger communal conflagration in the country’s financial capital, intelligence sources said.

While still waiting for clues to emerge, top intelligence sources in New Delhi seem pretty sure the blasts on the trains were plotted by Lashkar modules which are increasingly collaborating with activists of SIMI, which boasts of strong pockets of influence across Maharashtra.

The estimate of intelligence agencies here is derived from the scale of the attack, as well as precise information about the Lashkar’s sleeper cells that have proliferated in Maharashtra.

Sources in the home ministry, in fact, said that a carnage had seemed very much on the cards with information pouring in about stockpiling of arms and explosives by religious extremists.

Unlike last time when tip-offs helped the Maharashtra police foil the fidayeen attack on RSS headquarters at Nagpur, this time, Maharashtra and central sleuths failed to detect the plot.

“Every time, you cannot be lucky. Information as to which train they are going to attack and where is not easy to come by,” said a top intelligence official engaged in counter-terror operations.

Officials here are convinced that the terrorists’ objective was to cause communal mayhem in the city. The conviction is based on two facts.

First, the trains were targeted just after the communal-tinged violence in Bhiwandi, and the protests by Shiv Sainiks over the insult to the statue of Meenatai Thackeray by miscreants.

===============================================

And this according to IBN

================================================

Srinagar: The Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) on Tuesday night condemned and denied involvement in the Mumbai serial blasts and five grenade explosions in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

While at least 137 people were killed and 200 others wounded in seven explosions in local trains in Mumbai, eight tourists were killed and more than 40 wounded in the Srinagar grenade blasts.

In a telephonic statement to several media organisations, Lashkar spokesman Dr Abdullah Ghaznavi condemned in strongest terms, the serial blasts both in Mumbai and Srinagar.

“These are inhuman and barbaric acts. Islam does not permit killing of an innocent person,” he said.

Dr Ghaznavi said those who have perpetrated such “dastardly acts” were ‘enemies of humanity’.

“Blaming the Lashkar-e-Toiba for such inhuman acts is an attempt by the Indian security agencies to defame the freedom struggle in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

The LeT spokesman also termed as ‘false and full of lies’, the claim by the J&K Police and the Central Reserve Police Force that they have arrested one Lashkar militant responsible for the grenade attacks on the tourists in Srinagar.

“The Lashkar has no association with the arrested person. We totally disown him,” he said.

“We have launched jehad against the Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. We do not believe in killing innocent civilians belonging to any part of the world,” he said.

================================================

Update 18: 11:15AM PST / 11:45PM IST

More eye witness accounts pour in on Rediff’s desk -

I have a shop on Mira Bhayander road and that is where I was when this incident happened. I heard the blast and found out about the bomb a few minutes later. When I got there, I was shocked. There were a lot of people. Some were crying. All injured people were taken to the hospitals in Mira Road. Every hospital here is full, and some are not admitting the injured.

May God bless the injured. I will pray for them.

Moiz Shabbir Mandsaurwala, Mira Road

——————————————-

I was on the tracks over the Khar subway and saw a train coming towards me. Suddenly, the top of the train blew up and people were thrown on the tracks. After some time, the train stopped moving and a lot of people from the nearby Golibar area came to rescue them. I have seen the unity in our people. Irrespective of religion, they simply came to help. I am proud to be a son of India. I hope politicians don’t use this as a tool to divide us.

John, Khar

——————————————-

I was in the Mahim train in which the blast occurred. I just heard it and there was smoke everywhere. I leaned out of the train but couldn’t see anything because of the smoke. As soon as the train stopped, we got out and crossed the platform to reach the roads.

Gaurav, Mahim

——————————————-

We were waiting to catch the 6.24 pm. local train at Borivali station. In a few minutes, the overflowing train entered on platform No.4. By looking at the compartment, we realised it was impossible to enter. The first class compartment passed in front of us and, a few seconds later, we heard a blast. The top of the compartment was just blown away. Ladies and men started rushing everywhere. I saw some people helping others stay calm and making a way for ladies to move. In the next 15-20 minutes, police come with an ambulance, took away the bodies and cleared all platforms. This is the time to show our unity to the people who want to break us.

Sunil Waghralkar, Borivali

——————————————-

It was like a horror movie in slow motion. The 1st class compartment of a Borivali-bound train blew up at Mahim, flinging bodies like charred puppets…

The people who did this are monsters and are waiting for a sequel. Killing innocent people is not the key. Why don’t they put all our corrupt politicians in a first class compartment and blow them up?

Raz, Mahim

——————————————

I was supposed to catch the Avantika Express from Borivali station to Indore at 7:40. I went early and was sitting on the bench under the stairs.

Suddenly I heard a big bang. I thought it was some electrical mishap. But then, I saw people running away from the train.

When I saw people covered in blood, I left my luggage and ran away. Later, I came back and saw few policemen standing. There were no stretchers, no one to help, nothing.

I took my luggage climbed the stairs and stood there. People came running, as policemen were evacuating the station. My mobile network was completely jammed, I couldn’t inform anyone that I was fine.

People were running outside, very few auto rickshaws were available as most had been occupied.

Luckily I got an auto rickshaw and came back to my office.

Kshitij Nema, Borivali

————————————————–

I just came from Bandra to Matunga. As soon as I came out of the station and was on the over-bridge, I saw a huge part of the first class compartment of a fast train blow up. People were falling out of the train. All phones were jammed and I couldn’t call anyone. Being an outstation student, my parents were worried and I was unable to call them.

Manish Chaudhary, Matunga

—————————————–

I was on the ill-fated train in the first class compartment in the middle. As soon as the train left Dadar station, we heard a big blast. Passengers who were near the door simply jumped off or fell down. The people inside were trying to jump, but I, along with a few commuters, asked them not to. We could see the wires on the left door. The first thought that came to mind was dying of an electric shock. All of us huddled near each other and avoided the doors. The train stopped at Matunga station and we all jumped out on to the platform. It was then that I saw the damaged first class compartment. It had literally opened up. Some commuters then rushed in to remove the stranded passengers. It was a terrifying scene. I saw a lot of passengers bleeding.

Satish Dasi, on the 5:54 local from Dadar to Virar

—————————————–

I was in my office in Bandra West — between G7 movie theatre and Bandra station — and heard a blast. I turned around and saw smoke coming out of a moving train coming from Bandra towards Khar. I saw parts of a first class compartment touching the poles on the side of tracks and even heard the noise of metal scraping. The train stopped right behind our office building. I saw people jumping out.

I appreciate the boys of Navpada area who immediately rushed to the spot and started rescue work. Railway police and fire brigade came very late. By that time they had sent almost 20 people, who looked severely injured.

Farhan Shaikh, Bandra

—————————————–

I was standing at Khar station waiting to go to Churchgate. As the train entered the station, there was a blast in the first class compartment. The impact was so heavy that I actually was thrown back and hit an iron rod. There were bodies all around. Some of them had no face, hands, fingers, etc.

Sandeep Butaney, Khar Station

—————————————–

I was in the Mahim train. I just heard the blast and then there was smoke everywhere.

I leaned out of the train and could see nothing but smoke. As soon as the train stopped we got out of the train and crossed the platform to reach the roads.

Gaurav, Mahim

Update 17: 11:10AM PST / 11:40PM IST

Security is being beefed up in other parts of the country. As per this latest report filed at DNA India -

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday night told all states to take adequate security measures, particularly in big cities and sensitive places, in the wake of the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai and Kashmir.

“The Centre has issued suitable advisory to all states,” a Union Home Ministry spokesman said.

Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Home Ministry G S Rajagopal has spoken to authorities in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kolkata about the same, the spokesman said.

Other Home Ministry officials are also in touch with their top officials in Uttar Pradesh, Baroda, Thane and other sensitive places, he said.

BANGALORE: In the wake of the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday directed the state police to step up vigil and security across the state, particularly in areas bordering Maharashtra.

The chief minister, soon after being informed about the Mumbai tragedy, asked Director General of Police BS Siyal to deploy additional forces at important locations and sensitive areas as a precautionary measure, secretariat sources said.

Kumaraswamy also directed the Home Minister MP Prakash to convene a meeting of top police officials on Wednesday to review the situation and discuss the measures to be taken.

Kumaraswamy would be chairing this high-level meeting, the sources said.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Security has been tightened across Kerala.

According to Director General of Police Raman Srivastava, security had been beefed up at important places like railway stations, bus stands and airports.

Additional police force have been deployed at all sensitive places, Srivastava said.

COIMBATORE: Security has been beefed up in the city and the district.

The security measures taken were ‘routine in nature,’ and strict vigil would be kept on railway tracks and trains, bus stands and also places with large public concentration, throughout the district, they said.

Forces would be kept ready to meet any eventualities and vehicle checks would also be intensified, the sources said.

CHANDIGARH: Security agencies in Punjab and Haryana have been put on high alert.

Police sources said that security agencies in the two states and Chandigarh have been asked to ensure proper watch at railway stations, bus stands and crowded market places.

The sources said vigil has been heightened around sensitive places.

BHOPAL: A high alert was declared across Madhya Pradesh, police said.

“We have sounded a high alert across the state and stepped up security at all vital installations following bomb blasts in Mumbai,” Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Santosh Kumar Raut said.

Security was tightened at airports, railway stations, bus stands, industrial units, market places, shopping complexes and other public places, he said.

All inspector generals, superintendents of police and railway police officials have been asked to maintain vigil, especially in areas bordering Maharashtra, Raut said.

Vehicles entering in the state are also being checked thoroughly.

HYDERABAD: A red alert has been sounded in Andhra Pradesh.

The police have been directed to intensify checking and a response system has been activated.

All police stations have been put on alert here and asked to intensify checking and frisking operations at vulnerable places, city Police Commissioner A K Mohanty said.

All wings of the police force, including the taskforce, security wing, crime and special branch have been activated, Mohanty said.

In coordination with the railway police, all precautions have been taken to meet the situation in case of any eventuality, he said.

The city airport was put on high alert, the commissioner said and added that while CISF personnel look after the security inside the airport, the city police have taken position outside.

PUNE: The city has been put on high alert, Police Commissioner DN Jadhav said.

In the absence of any specific intelligence, an alert has been sounded in all the areas falling within the jurisdiction of the police commissionerate of Pune, Jadhav said.

Police personnel in the Crime Branch, Government Railway Police, Special Branch are on the job and taking the precautionary measures, he said, adding that barricades were being put at all entry and exits points to the city.

Vigil has been stepped up at crowded places like railway stations, bus terminals, shopping malls and theatres.

Theatre managements have been alerted and hotels were being checked which was a usual precautionary practice, the police commissioner added.

NAGPUR: The police sounded a high alert in the city.

All police stations have been put on high alert and asked to intensify patrolling, police said.

Update 16: 11:00AM PST / 11:30 PM IST

IndianExpress quotes Maharashtra Chief Secretary D K Shankara who put the number of death at 138 and the injured 257.

But according to IndianExpress “At least 140 people were killed and 300 injured in a string of seven terror blasts in first class compartments of suburban trains around 6pm during the peak hour traffic in Mumbai on Tuesday”

Update 15: 10:40AM PST / 11:10PM IST

The former RAW Chief (Indian Intelligence) pleads with the Television media to stop showing the dead bodies. I think he’s right. In a frenzy to cover each and every thing the Television channels seem to have forgotton something called “Humanity” in their drive to get higher ratings.

According to this latest report from Rediff -

“Please don’t show dead bodies on television,” said Vikram Sood, former chief of Research and Analysis Wing while talking to rediff.com. “TV channels should stop showing dead bodies because it generates fear.”

The emotion of fear should not be promoted in times of crisis, he added.

“When 9/11 happened American TV viewers were not shown blood and death.

“Children too watch TV, and dead people should not be robbed of their decency.”

He said, “What we are seeing on TV suggests that Mumbai city, and the State, was just not prepared for the tragedy. Dead bodies were being carried in a clumsy manner. Nowhere did we see an ambulance, at least there was no visual evidence to show the presence of the State. The State is not reacting fast enough. Even after one hour, the blast sites are not cordoned off.”

Sood said, “Terrorism will continue in India. It’s a given. Now, we have to show that the State can react fast enough.”

Update 14: 1030AM PST / 11PM IST

These snippets come from the Mumbai Blogger Help Line:-

If you are still unable to reach your friends and family by phone, do post in the number at the above Mumbail Blogger Link. Alternatively you could also try sending an SMS via these free sms sites

http://www.smsjunction.com/

http://www.ananthapuri.com/mobile.asp

. . . . . .

Traffic Situation:

Yazad just called to say this:

The Central line is functioning normally, all trains on time.

He also spoke to the police, and was told that it is highly unlikely that the Western Line will resume functioning tonight.

. . . . . .

dhoomketu says:

Have just confirmed from the car provider, Orix, that roads are not quite blocked. They are running as usual. There was some panic on the streets around Worli, Mahim an hour back, but road situation is back to normal.

In case, people want to head back from South Bombay, you can.

However: If you don’t absolutely have to go home, and you’re safe and dry, please stay put. Don’t add to the mess out there.

. . . . . .

Opera House to Pedder Road…jammed
Elphinstone; KEM…jammed
Tulsi Pipe Road…inching traffic

Will post updates and let u knw when these roads open up

Update:
Recived this via an SMS:
2 peopel
just came back from dadar
roads ar jammed
thsi side is ok
they tride froma cab. towards subrb its all jammed you cant go

Update:
Out off all the networks, Hutch is particularly bad…Airtel is the best. I dunno how that helps…but whatever.

Update:
people stuck near siddhi vinayak and prabhadevi van try seeking shelter at Rachana Sansad collegethey were planning on keeping the college open thru the night. Nos: 24301024 (extn:701,702,703,704)

Update:
A friend msged this:
We took the road from Hindu colony till Kings circle; it was not jammed. The main roads were jammed. Tell people to take inner lanes.

. . . . . .

I will tell you what happens when you have a car and want to go home in such traffic? People are trying to force into cars since trains are not working. So if you have a car and want to go home …try gracioulsy to give a lift to people. If you have a car and planning to go home…DON’T. They might try to force themselves to get into your car. Again, it’s better to stay where you are.

. . . . . .

Update 13: 10:00AM PST / 10:30PM IST

As per the report filed at Newindpress, the death toll is “atleast 150″.

Comments from the Government and Law Enforcement read at NDTV.

I am in the process of getting the exact information. Before getting full information, it is not correct for the govt to disclose anything. We would take precautions but not a national alert. - Shivraj Patil, Home Minister

The series of blast in Jammu and Kashmir and Mumbai are shocking and cowardly attempts. My heart reaches out to all those affected by these blasts… Citizens of Mumbai have faced terror more than 10 years ago. I urge the people to stay calm, not believe rumours and carry on with their activities. - PM Statement

Our priority is to ensure that nothing untoward takes place as a result of the blast - Police Commissioner A N Roy

12 bodies recovered from Borivili and three from Khar stations - Police Commissioner A N Roy

Terror attacks planned - Home Ministry
No link between Mumbai, Srinagar blasts - Home Secretary

Update 12: 9:55AM PST / 10:25PM IST

BEST, Bombay’s suburban bus service is pressing in more than 200 buses into action to help commuters reach homes. Here’s a report on this filed at Rediff.

In a swift response to the Mumbai blasts, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking is running 258 extra buses tonight to help stranded commuters on the city’s western arterial road.

Western Railway, the lifeline of Mumbai, has come to a grinding halt after seven blasts earlier this evening killed approximately 135 people. All outstation trains coming to Mumbai on the Western line have also been stopped.

The trains are expected to resume by midnight, as railway authorities are busy repairing overhead wires that were damaged by the blasts.

Roads leading from Mumbai city to the Western suburbs are witnessing huge traffic jams at many places. Traffic police outside the Mahim station road have been directing people towards the Western Express Highway to ease the situation.

Meanwhile, BEST Assistant Traffic Superintendent Lothankar says, “Of the 258 buses on the Western line, we have 84 from Churchgate, 33 from Kandivli-Borivli, 28 from Bandra, 12 from Santacruz, 47 from Dadar, 9 from Andheri and 12 from Dindoshi.”

Meanwhile, Central Railway, Mumbai’s other local train network, including its Harbour line service, are reported to be running normally.

Update 11: 9:40AM PST / 10:10PM IST

DNA India has some pictures from Matunga station where one of the blasts occured.

Update 10: 9:30AM PST / 10:00AM IST

More Pictures:

Update 9: 9:20AM PST / 9:50PM IST

Rediff talks to commuters at Mahim station in Mumbai. A very gruesome report title “River of Blood in Mahim”

For Hitesh Shah, travel by train will never be the same again. At around 6.20 pm, Shah was on a Western Railway foot over-bridge, crossing from Mahim West to the East, when he heard a loud bang. He looked down to see a train moving quickly beneath the bridge, coming to a halt a few seconds later.

At first, he assumed it was a short circuit that led to the halt. When he took a second look, he saw dead bodies flying out of the Borivali-bound fast train. Blood was flowing like a river all around. “People were screaming for help and many were jumping out from other compartments. No one knew what was happening,” he recalls.

Without fearing for his life, he ran down to the tracks to help people trapped in the train. The first class compartment, where the bomb was placed, had been reduced to a tangled mass of metal in seconds. When the blast occurred, people standing at the platform waiting to board other trains were also swept off their feet.

People staying around Mahim station soon arrived in large numbers to help the trapped passengers. Heavy rains didn’t deter them from the rescue operations.

“It was gruesome,” says Shah. “I saw mutilated bodies. I don’t think anyone in that compartment could have come out alive. The intensity of the blast was very high. Some people got sheets from their homes to take out the dead. Those who were breathing were immediately rushed to the nearest hospital.”

Tulsi Pipe Road, which runs parallel to Mahim station, witnessed another horrifying scene as locals began dumping dead bodies on the street and trying to save the injured with a sense of urgency. Traffic leading to Dharavi was brought to a halt and diverted via Lady Jamshedji Road.

Locals were seen consoling unknown passengers who couldn’t believe their near and dear ones were no more. Some women couldn’t bear the sight and started vomiting on account of the bloodstains on their bodies. Many started walking away from the station after realizing that the trains would not move further.

“We stopped many cars and tempos to take the bodies,” says Rajesh Varma, a local resident of Dharavi. “Every person on the road was co-operative and there was no sign of the police.”

The blast happened on platform 3, when the train left. Surprisingly, there were four trains at the station at almost the same time when the incident occurred.

Krishna Mishra, who was in a slow train bound for Borivli, said there was no sign of the police for almost an hour. “The least they can do at times like this is arrive on time,” he says. “Even when they came, they were beating and shooing away rescuers who were helping the injured.”

Many locals are angry that the government had done little to save the lives of ordinary people. “We should not give these terrorists bail. They need to be hanged in public,” says J Singh, another commuter. “There is no law and order. These were innocent people who had nothing to do with politics, but they lost their lives.”

Update 8: 9:15AM PST / 9:45PM IST

The death count is now 137 as per NDTV.

Update 7: 8:55AM PST / 9:25PM IST
Rediff just put up a map on where the blasts occurred. Here’s the map: The focus seems to be the Western Railway Line.

Update 6: 8:45AM PST / 9:15PM IST

First pictures. I’ve avoided showing those injured. There are a few more at TOI

Upadate 5: 8:35AM PST / 9:05PM IST

NDTV just reported that 100 killed so far.

Update 4: 8:30AM PST / 9:00PM IST

BJP just spoke to the press, blaming the Government for its soft approach towards terrorism.

Now is not the time for this, this is NOT THE FUCKING TIME FOR THIS. SEND IN YOUR FUCKING VOLUNTEERS TO HELP THE PEOPLE OUT ON THE RAILWAY STATIONS.

Political parties have the ability to mobilize volunteers and this is the time to do it immediately. They get volunteers to get people on the streets, start a morcha, rasta roko and smash public property… WHERE ARE THESE VOLUNTEERS NOW???

Anyone know if ANY HELP HAS ARRIVED FROM THE STATE FOR THE INJURED???

Update 3: 8:25AM PST / 8:55PM IST

Rediff is inviting readers to share their eyewitness accounts. Some of the eyewitness reports received are quite depressing. Please don’t read this update if you are sad or depressed.

I was just entering Borivali station when I heard a blast. I was on my way to Churchgate.

I went onto the bridge and I saw the blast had happened in the 1st class compartment next to the ladies 1st class compartment. The whole second gate of the 1st class was popped up like a popcorn flake.

The situation is beyond description. I could see charred bodies of four men and one woman being taken away on stretchers. I think they were dead.

I caught a rickshaw back to office, which I thought is a safer place.

Nobody was accompanying the bodies, which were being carried in an auto rickshaw. One body fell out of the rickshaw on the turning of the Chamunda circle. A few women on the road fainted seeing the condition of the body.

It was really a horrendous scene.

Kishan Joshi, Borivali

———————————————

We were at the G7 theatre at Bandra. The movie was supposed to start at 6.45 but, suddenly, at around 6.30, we heard a loud bang. There was smoke emanating from the tracks nearby. We then saw people climbing on the walls between the tracks and the theatre and running. That is when we realised what had happened.”

Rajesh, Andheri

——————————————–

I saw people running everywhere. Local people were doing all they could to help. The police came so late, after everything was over. The police are so bad, but people are so helpful and they did very well. People are dead. Many are running and there are so many people dead. This is a very sad scene.

Vijay, Santacruz (E)

——————————————-

I was in Jogeshwari when the blast took place at 6.35 pm. It was a very tragic moment in my life to see a lot of bodies strewn all around me on the platform. I am still dazed. May God bless everyone.

Sureshchandra H S, Jogeshwari

——————————————

I was standing at Mahim station at the Harbour line platform. The fast train going towards Andheri just arrived at the station and the front portion of the train just flew away. People who were hanging outside because of the rush flew out of the train and other people ran. There was a mess. I was really depressed to see people lying on the tracks.

Dhano Mansukhani, Mahim

——————————————-

I saw a huge ball of smoke rising and people running. It was like hell.

Kondap, Bandra station

——————————————-

Yes, I saw the Mira Road bomb blast. I had gone for a walk on the flyover and heard the blast. There are so many people dead here. It is a shame for the Mumbai Police.

Abhishek, Mira Road

——————————————-

I was on platform number 5 of the Borivali station. The blast occurred at platform number 4, just 10 metres from me.

Ketan Jain, Borivali

Update 2: 8:20AM PST / 8:50PM IST

Rediff reports that there is chaos all over and commuters are puzzled :

Chaos and confusion prevailed on the Western Railway lines as thousands of commuters were left bewildered by the serial blasts this evening.

Frenzied scenes were witnessed as people tried to get home after all train services were suspended on the Western line.
However, suburban train services on the Central and Harbour lines were still on, sources said.

Scenes of frenzy were witnessed at the Churchgate terminus in south Mumbai, the starting point of all western railway suburban services, as people tried to get on to vans and other vehicles in their hurry to go home.

Traffic was chaotic outside Churchgate and nearby signal points and people were seen making frantic inquiries about alternative ways to commute to their respective destinations.

At the scene of the blasts, injured were being taken to nearby hospitals and bodies were being cleared from the tracks.

Locals came to the aid of those stuck inside the trains as passengers jumped out of trains as the blasts rocked the first class compartments of crowded local trains, tearing them apart.

Cellphone networks were jammed as people tried getting through to their near and dear ones.

Both arterial roads leading to the western suburbs — S V Road and Linking Road — were jammed.

With the traffic moving nowhere, commuters got off buses and taxis and began walking homewards.

People were seen flagging down all passing vehicles and forcing vehicle owners to take stranded people whichever way they were headed.

Update 1: 8:10AM PST / 8:40PM IST

Punds passed this link where you can leave your family/friend’s name and phone number in the comments section at the blog. The guy/s are in Nariman Point and staying put in their office. They will try contacting the numbers you leave in to check the safety of your family/friends

http://mumbaihelp.blogspot.com/

End of Updates

Just heard the shocking news about a series of blasts all along the Bombay suburban railway lines.

Rediff has an initial report.

Any readers from India care to fill in on what’s going on?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 11th, 2006 at 6:49 am and is filed under News Catch.
Views : 7,737 views
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.