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May 13, 2008
Serial Blasts
Rock Jaipur
By Anil Sharma and Murali Krishnan
Jaipur/New Delhi
Seven synchronized blasts ripped through the Indian tourist city of
Jaipur Tuesday evening, killing at least 50 people and injuring
nearly 100 others - and officials feared the death toll could rise.
The carefully choreographed blasts at six spots went off within a
space of 20 minutes and occurred in the Tripolia Bazar, where a
Hanuman temple that draws a large number of devotees is located, as
well as at Manas Chowk, Badi Choupal, Chhoti Choupal, Sanganeri Gate
and Johari Bazar areas that are home to mixed populations of Hindus
and Muslims.
"Such acts of terror will not be tolerated and the perpetrators will
be brought to book," Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje
Scindia said soon after the blasts, even as officials swung into
operation to clamp stricter security measures in place.
The bombings, as also a gun battle in Jammu on Sunday between the
security forces and militants that killed six, occurred days before
India and Pakistan are to resume their composite dialogue process
that has been stalled by the fluid political situation in the
neighboring country.
Tuesday's explosions were among the worst terror strikes in India
after the Mumbai suburban train blasts in July 2006 that killed over
180 people. Jaipur is at the centre of India's famous Golden
Triangle tourist circuit that draws thousands of foreign visitors
every year. It was not immediately known whether any foreign or
Indian tourist was a casualty in the explosions.
"At least 60 people have been killed and about double the number
injured. It's incredible," Rohit Singh, Rajasthan's chief
information commissioner, told IANS. Officials feared the number of
casualties would mount.
"You can say it is a terrorist attack. Maximum damage has been
caused to human lives," said Rajasthan police chief A.S. Gill.
The medium intensity explosions, the first major terror attack since
the serial blasts in Uttar Pradesh in November last year, threw life
out of gear in Jaipur and prompted a nation-wide alert to be
sounded.
Anti-riot police were deployed in some of the crowded areas of the
famous pink city to thwart any possible retaliation or riots, and
the entire walled city area where the blasts occurred was cordoned
off.
The mangled remains of bicycles and cars splattered with bloodstains
pockmarked several of the blast sites. Those hit by the shrapnel
thrown up by the blasts writhed in pain even as bystanders moved in
to shift them to hospitals.
A priest at the Hanuman temple said: "At around 7.30 p.m. there was
a big noise and I suddenly saw people lying in a pool of blood. I
was not aware it was a bomb blast. My father was also hit by a
splinter and died of injuries."
There were a few hundred people at the Hanuman temple when the blast
took place since it was a Tuesday, considered auspicious among
Hindus.
"There was total chaos after the explosions and many have been
killed and injured," said an eyewitness, Lakshmi Narayan.
"I was standing at Manas Chowk when a huge and thundering explosion
occurred," he added, while being treated at a hospital.
Following the blasts, most of the injured were taken to the Sawai
Mansingh Hospital. People were seen standing outside the hospital
appealing to passers-by to donate blood for the injured.
President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader
of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani condemned the blasts and
appealed for calm. Home Minister Shivraj Patil cut short his two-day
trip to the northeast and rushed to Jaipur in an Indian Air Force
aircraft.
The home ministry also issued an advisory to all states to remain
extra vigilant following the Jaipur blasts.
"It is very unfortunate this has happened. I appeal to the people to
stay calm," said former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who
is a former Rajasthan chief minister.
"I condemn this act of terrorism that was meant to create tension
between the people," said Sachin Pilot, who represents Rajasthan's
Dausa constituency in the Lok Sabha.
"We must not let terrorists succeed in what they intended to do,"
Pilot added.
This is the first terror attack in Rajasthan after two pilgrims were
killed and 17 wounded in a bomb blast at the Ajmer Sharif shrine
seven months ago.
"There is panic in the city as this is happening in the midst of the
IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket frenzy. Most of the police and
security forces are busy in the preparations of the IPL matches,"
said Manas Kumar, an eyewitness.
According to the police, the first blast took place at the Manas
Chowk Police Station area. The second blast was near the most famous
sweet shop in the city, Lakshmi Mishtaan Bhandar that is in Johari
Bazaar.
The third blast took place in Tripolia Bazar where a Hanuman temple
drew a large number of devotees Tuesday, while the fourth and fifth
blasts were reported at Badi Choupal and Chhoti Choupal.
"It is clearly a well planned operation and strangely the state
police had no intelligence information. All the blasts happened when
people were milling around these places," said a top intelligence
officer.
"We have sent a bomb disposal team to Jaipur. The team would be
investigating the nature of blasts and chemical used in these deadly
blasts," said J.K. Dutta, the Director General of the National
Security Guard.
Home ministry officials said the bombs were planted in bicycles and
forensic teams were being dispatched to determine the nature of
explosives. At least one explosive device was detected and defused,
officials said.
"Look, it is difficult to say what (explosive) was used but it could
be RDX or even ammonium nitrate," said a ministry official.
Rajasthan's Chief Secretary B.C. Sawant said that police were
deployed in all communally sensitive locations.
In the national capital, Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat
said: "An alert has been sounded in the wake of the Jaipur blasts."
Additional police personnel have been deployed along with bomb
disposal squads at Delhi Metro stations, at railway stations and bus
terminals.
"Extra security cover has been extended to all the religious places,
including the Jama Masjid, Akashardham and Iskcon temples," Bhagat
added.
Delhi Police sleuths have put road barricades at various
intersections and dog squads have been deployed at railway stations.
Metal detectors are in place at entry points in busy markets and
security agencies are keeping a close watch over all VIP areas.
At least 434 people have died in terror attacks across India in the
past two years. Six serial blasts in the cities of Lucknow, Faizabad
and Varanasi in November last year ripped through civil court
premises, killing 13 people.
May 13, 2008
IANS | Top
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