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Four dead, 22 hurt in Bombay blasts

Syed Firdaus Ashraf

Four people died and 22 were injured when three crude bombs exploded in Bombay's suburbs.

The first incident occurred at 1315 hours at Golibar, Santacruz (east), in northwest Bombay when two people carrying explosives tumbled against a pipe, dropped it, killing one and injuring three others.

The second incident occurred at 1500 hours at the Kandivli railway station when a plastic bag containing explosives exploded beneath a seat, killing one person and leaving 19 injured.

The last incident occurred at 1540 hours near the Virar railway station in Thane district when one person died after the bomb which he was carrying exploded prematurely.

The three injured at Santacruz have been admitted at V N Desai hospital and are reportedly out of danger. But two of the 19 injured in Kandivili blast are critical and have been admitted to Bhagwati hospital, Borivli. However, the other 17 are reportedly out of danger. Western Railway services were suspended for half an hour after the blast.

Dr P S Pasricha, joint commissioner of police, law and order, told Rediff On The NeT, "All the bombs were crude and of low intensity. So not much damage occurred... It is too early too comment on who is responsible for the blast."

Asked whether there was a similarity between the Coimbatore blasts and the Bombay blasts, Dr Pasricha said, "The Coimbatore blasts were of high intensity, causing many deaths, but these bombs looks like crude affairs... So there is a difference."

Platoons of State Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force and the Central Industrial Security Force staged a flag march in the city today to reassure the populace. A red alert has been sounded in the city which will go to the polls on Saturday.

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