Blasts in Bombay
Day 2
9:00 a.m. - Services on the Western line between Churchgate and Borivali have now been restored. WR folks worked throughout the night to clear the tracks and repair the damage.
9:05 a.m. - In case you haven't seen it yet, this blog post is helpful for Indians abroad to get information about their dear ones' well-being. This wiki lists all the relevant information.
**
9:18 a.m. - A group of irate passengers who spent the night in and around Churchgate station spoke to Star News asking for a bandh, i.e a day's shutdown.
**
11:00 a.m. - Death toll updated to 190. Injured - 663.
**
11:45 a.m. - Initial investigations point to LeT and SIMI involvement, which is a no-brainer really. Only they have the infrastructure, resources and the methodology to carry out attacks of this scale. A Mumbai police team is off to Aurangabad for investigations. Aurangabad is where a huge cache of explosives was recovered a few days back.
**
11:50 a.m. - The Western line is now fully operational. Churchgate-Virar services have now started. One must commend the speed and efficiency with which WR worked to literally get everything back on track. Offices, schools and colleges are open.
**
What was the whole deal behind targeting just first class compartments? The bombs must have been placed in Churchgate for sure. Did they choose the first class compartments because they would be relatively easier to get into during rush hour, at least at Churchgate? Or was it some warped demented modern-day-Robin-Hood mentality at work, justifying the bloodbath under the rationalisation - "We just killed the rich"?
**
12:30 p.m. - While ordinary Mumbaikars are back to their normal routines, the politicians are also back to their normal routine. News has come in that there was an uproar in the Maharashtra Assembly and it was adjourned. So our elected representatives, who spend millions of rupees a day on themselves during these Assembly sessions, would rather waste more public money by displaying mindless pedestrian rage, than sit and discuss how to tackle the situation. Rather than ask hard questions, and come up with solutions, they are making a spectacle of their pettiness by adjourning a session. While it is admirable that banks, shops, factories, schools and colleges are up and running so soon, we should remember that all of them don't really need to be functional immediately. The need of the hour is to have our so-called representatives working extra time. But they have just thrown tantrums, exchanged charges, caused the assembly to adjourn, and are probably enjoying a sumptuous meal at our expense.
**
12:40 p.m. - I hope there is a serious public campaign for the installation of CCTV cameras in trains and other public places. The culprits of 7/7 in London were identified because of CCTV cameras. If there were such cameras in our local trains, we could at least find out who did this, and go after them. Some newspaper or TV channel should calculate the money required for it and compare it with the money spent on VIP security, helicopters, and other perks.
**
1:10 p.m. - Home Secretary Duggal has revealed that investigations into the blasts have led to the information that terror attacks have also been planned against several prominent installations. Security has been beefed up at airports. Folks, be vigilant if you travel by air, and keep an eye out for suspicious packages.
**
2:15 p.m. - Director General of Police Dr. Pasricha just appeared on Aajtak, and he spoke about the CCTV issue. He said it had been decided to install CCTV cameras in Mumbai locals after the London blasts. A tender was called, but due to some "technical issues", it had to be re-tendered. i.e CCTV cams would have been in place to identify the culprits if only the somnolent Indian state had not taken a year(and counting) to buy such vital equipment. So we can learn lessons from terror attacks in other cities. But the babus feel compelled to pocket their cut even in implementing the lessons learnt.
Retendering is almost a sure-shot indication of corruption even in the procurement process of CCTV cameras. Or else why would it take a year to procure something as simple as CCTV equipment? They aren't nuclear weapons, you know!
Maybe RTI should be used to find out exactly what delayed this hallowed tendering process so much and someone should be held accountable.
***
5:30 p.m. - BREAKING NEWS. There has been a grenade attack on a tourist bus at Gulmarg, one of the most picturesque destinations in Kashmir. Fortunately no one is dead yet, but 5 tourists have been wounded. These attacks, coming after the 5 attacks in Srinagar yesterday also targeting tourist, show that the terrorist bosses sitting in Pakistan have launched a renewed two-pronged campaign. One is to incite communal trouble in Indian cities like Bombay. Two, is to drive away from Kashmir, the tourists who have been returning in big numbers over the last few years helping the state limp back to some normalcy.
This is a battle cry from the terrorists which needs to be heeded seriously by the Indian government. Over the last couple of years, a lot of senior terrorists in kashmir have been killed or arrested. Which explains why even these attacks in kashmir are relatively low-fi grenade attacks. One can't help but feel that a plane hijack or a high-profile hostage situation is around the corner, to ask for the release of some key terrorists. The government needs to be prepared for such an eventuality. Even if they can not avoid such a situation, they should have a well-defined action plan ready to avoid a shameful capitulation like the Kandahar hijacking in 1999.
***
7:45 p.m. - Javed Akhtar outside a hospital on the verge of tears, is asked by a reporter "What would you like to say to the people of Bombay?". He responded - "Kya kahoon unhey?Bandh mat karo? Sab bhool jao? Kitni bar? Kitni bar?" (What should I say to them? Don't observe a bandh? Forget everything? How many times? How many times?)
**
8:00 p.m. - More than 24 hours after the attacks, the Prime Minister appears on TV to address the nation. The address is insipid, wishy-washy and predictable. "India will not kneel" he bleats. Even for a 3-minute address, he had to have a typed speech, which he kept reading from, looking down all the time. If you can not find it in your heart to deliver even such a short address extempore, get a teleprompter, for heaven's sake! At least give the people an illusion that you are looking them in the eye and speaking to them.
**
8:30 p.m. - The footage being shown now has him looking straight. Seems like they got the teleprompter working and recorded his speech again.
Day 1
6:58 p.m. - Serial blasts have rocked Bombay. AajTak is reporting 5 blasts, all in local trains along the Western line. The 5 blasts reported so far are in or around Mahim, Khar, Jogeshwari, Borivali and Bhayander. This is rush hour, and apparently the blasts have been very strong, so fatalities will be very high. All phone lines are jammed. Someone really wants riots in Bombay.
**
7:04 - The blast was at Matunga Road Station and not the Mahim station closeby. It turns out the blast was so intense that the station's roof was demolished. It has also started raining pretty hard in several blast sites making relief and rescue very difficult.
**
7:20 - According to CNN-IBN, at least 20 are dead in the Matunga Road blast alone. At least 2 blasts have taken place in first class compartments.
**
7:25 - Live pictures from different blast sites show only normal people helping the injured. Not a single cop or paramedic is visible. And it has now been over an hour since the first blasts happened.
They just showed the compartment in which the blast occured. It is badly mangled. These have been VERY powerful blasts.
**
7:28 - CNBC is claiming 6 blasts. They are listing Matunga Road and Mahim as separate blasts. The two stations are very close to each other. It is not yet clear if these are separate blasts or if CNBC has gotten it wrong.
**
7:30 - A Western Line official speaking to Aajtak has confirmed 7 blasts. Matunga Road and Mahim have been separate blasts. And there has been a blast at Bandra too. Most blasts have been in first class compartments. It should be noted though that even first class compartments are jam packed at rush hour.
**
7:42 - Rajdeep Sardesai on CNN-IBN - "These pictures are now being beamed on all CNN networks all over the world. Indians all over the world watching CNN are now watching CNN-IBN. This is the power of CNN-IBN".
Yes Rajdeep, we are very proud of you. Your timing for patting yourself on the back is admirable.
**
7:56 - Central Railway and BEST buses are running as per schedule.
**
7:58 - IndiaTV and Star News are talking of 8 blasts. Not clear yet where the 8th blast happened.
**
8:05 - Confusion prevails over whether there was an 8th blast. Now it has been 2 hours since the blast but no government official has appeared on TV to make a statement. On CNBC, a Mumbai police official, JCP Arun Patnaik, was quick to shirk off blame saying security in trains is the responsibility of Railway Police.
**
8:08 - The two channels are now back to saying 7 blasts. So the 8th blast has presumably not happened. At least 50 confirmed dead. But looking at how mangled the compartments are, I am sure the number will be at least thrice as much.
**
8:15 - Two hours and phone lines are still jammed.
**
8:20 - The Pakistan government has condemned the attacks. We are all very touched I am sure.
**
8:25 - Police are now confirming at least 100 dead.
**
8:30 - All the long-distance trains in and out of Mumbai on the Western Railway have been halted.
**
8:48 - Predictable response from BJP. law-and-order failure, soft approach, intelligence failure...blablabla.
**
9:05 - Rajdeep is unstoppable. He boasts - "CNN-IBN was the first to report these blasts."
**
10:15 - Sharad Pawar made a very sensible comment - "The Railway Minister, Home Minister and others may want to visit the site and the victims. And it is a natural reactions. But when VIPs visit so soon, it is seen that the attention of doctors and other staff at hospital goes more into looking after the VIPs. And the victims suffer. So my appeal to VIPs is not to visit the victims so soon."
**
10:22 - Oh yes, the final blast count is 8. The locations(from south to north) are - Mahim, Matunga Road, Bandra, Khar, Santacruz, Jogeshwari, Borivali, Mira Road
The official fatality count is 139.
**
10:25 - R R Patil, The Home Minister of Maharashtra spoke to media-persons giving these updates, giving relevant information and looking visibly upset. Such a statement means a lot more than the textbookish rhetoric-laden quotes being given by other politicians which just invites cynicism and derision.
**
10:50 - Oh dear. Now we are back to 7 blasts. The police have clarified that the 8th was not a blast but was defused unexploded. So 8 blasts were planned but only 7 went off.
**
11:00 - For people living in the Western suburbs, the situation as far as getting home is concerned, is a bit like 26/7 last year. Traffic is moving at snail's pace. And like last year, Mumbaikars are out on the street helping people out. Distributing samosas, biscuits, water etc to people stuck in the traffic.
**
11:55 - Some good news. The Churchgate-Mahalakshmi stretch of Western Railway is now operational. There wasn't a single blast between this stretch of course. The blasts occured between Matunga Road and Bhayander. Refer to this map to get a better idea. WR officials say that they will do their best to restore the entire line by tomorrow morning.
**
12:03 - The Western Express Highway, which is the arterial road connecting the Western suburbs, is packed with vehicles. Even the vehicles are packed. Cars and bikes which usually go half-empty are giving rides to people going in their directions. And of course, shopkeepers and residents along the road are on the streets with food and water, helping the travellers out.
**
12:05 - A friend from the US tells me that the blasts are getting maximum coverage on CNN in USA. It seems like the US has finally woken up to the reality of terrorism in India. I was amused to read a few American bloggers write about the blasts as if terrorism has made a debut in India. They mean well of course. They just don't know that terrorism has been a problem in India for over 2 decades now. This is not Spain or Bali where terrorism just "arrived". We've been nursing the tapeworm in our bellies for ages.
**
Perhaps overwhelmed by the unprecedented coverage for an Indian tragedy on American television, all the TV channels are calling it 7/11, American style. This is India guys. Remember 26/7, 13/12, etc? We call it 11/7. Capisce?
---
Also read -
Amit Varma
Mumbai Help
Metroblogging Mumbai
----
2:17 a.m. - I am signing off for the day. A few more updates as well as a few observations of my own -
Western Railway is working hard to ensure that the trains are back on track by the morning. Several stretches are already open.
The Shiv Sena has still not made a comment about this. They will obviously react with anger, lashing out at Pakistan and the UPA government. But I really hope, with all digits my extremities crossed, that they display some maturity and responsibility. I hope they do not escalate this beyond a limit. Considering their past record, the response to the statue desecration was compritively restrained, and I hope it holds true for the blasts as well.
Let us not get carried away and start accusing the authorities of negligence. Terror is not new to Mumbai and there is no reason to think that the police or the intelligence agencies had any concrete information that they failed to act upon. Placing bombs in trains in Mumbai is not very difficult, and it is not possible to avoid all such instances.
That said, maybe some measures are necessary. Installing CCTV cameras in all local train compartments and stations will help monitor security much better. Or at least identify the culprits and bust their networks. CCTV cameras will also help check incidents of molestation. It is one measure that needs to be thought of.
I need to sign off now as blogger.com will have a scheduled outage in a few minutes. It's been a tough day for the city, and the tragedy has a slightly personal note for me too. I am fortunate that neither me nor any of my acquaintances were victims today. But Western Line is "my" line. I have regularly travelled on those very tracks. The idea that almost 200 people were killed along the very familiar landscape which is a part of my life chills me, angers me and saddens me.
My condolences to all those families who lost someone today.
9:00 a.m. - Services on the Western line between Churchgate and Borivali have now been restored. WR folks worked throughout the night to clear the tracks and repair the damage.
9:05 a.m. - In case you haven't seen it yet, this blog post is helpful for Indians abroad to get information about their dear ones' well-being. This wiki lists all the relevant information.
**
9:18 a.m. - A group of irate passengers who spent the night in and around Churchgate station spoke to Star News asking for a bandh, i.e a day's shutdown.
**
11:00 a.m. - Death toll updated to 190. Injured - 663.
**
11:45 a.m. - Initial investigations point to LeT and SIMI involvement, which is a no-brainer really. Only they have the infrastructure, resources and the methodology to carry out attacks of this scale. A Mumbai police team is off to Aurangabad for investigations. Aurangabad is where a huge cache of explosives was recovered a few days back.
**
11:50 a.m. - The Western line is now fully operational. Churchgate-Virar services have now started. One must commend the speed and efficiency with which WR worked to literally get everything back on track. Offices, schools and colleges are open.
**
What was the whole deal behind targeting just first class compartments? The bombs must have been placed in Churchgate for sure. Did they choose the first class compartments because they would be relatively easier to get into during rush hour, at least at Churchgate? Or was it some warped demented modern-day-Robin-Hood mentality at work, justifying the bloodbath under the rationalisation - "We just killed the rich"?
**
12:30 p.m. - While ordinary Mumbaikars are back to their normal routines, the politicians are also back to their normal routine. News has come in that there was an uproar in the Maharashtra Assembly and it was adjourned. So our elected representatives, who spend millions of rupees a day on themselves during these Assembly sessions, would rather waste more public money by displaying mindless pedestrian rage, than sit and discuss how to tackle the situation. Rather than ask hard questions, and come up with solutions, they are making a spectacle of their pettiness by adjourning a session. While it is admirable that banks, shops, factories, schools and colleges are up and running so soon, we should remember that all of them don't really need to be functional immediately. The need of the hour is to have our so-called representatives working extra time. But they have just thrown tantrums, exchanged charges, caused the assembly to adjourn, and are probably enjoying a sumptuous meal at our expense.
**
12:40 p.m. - I hope there is a serious public campaign for the installation of CCTV cameras in trains and other public places. The culprits of 7/7 in London were identified because of CCTV cameras. If there were such cameras in our local trains, we could at least find out who did this, and go after them. Some newspaper or TV channel should calculate the money required for it and compare it with the money spent on VIP security, helicopters, and other perks.
**
1:10 p.m. - Home Secretary Duggal has revealed that investigations into the blasts have led to the information that terror attacks have also been planned against several prominent installations. Security has been beefed up at airports. Folks, be vigilant if you travel by air, and keep an eye out for suspicious packages.
**
2:15 p.m. - Director General of Police Dr. Pasricha just appeared on Aajtak, and he spoke about the CCTV issue. He said it had been decided to install CCTV cameras in Mumbai locals after the London blasts. A tender was called, but due to some "technical issues", it had to be re-tendered. i.e CCTV cams would have been in place to identify the culprits if only the somnolent Indian state had not taken a year(and counting) to buy such vital equipment. So we can learn lessons from terror attacks in other cities. But the babus feel compelled to pocket their cut even in implementing the lessons learnt.
Retendering is almost a sure-shot indication of corruption even in the procurement process of CCTV cameras. Or else why would it take a year to procure something as simple as CCTV equipment? They aren't nuclear weapons, you know!
Maybe RTI should be used to find out exactly what delayed this hallowed tendering process so much and someone should be held accountable.
***
5:30 p.m. - BREAKING NEWS. There has been a grenade attack on a tourist bus at Gulmarg, one of the most picturesque destinations in Kashmir. Fortunately no one is dead yet, but 5 tourists have been wounded. These attacks, coming after the 5 attacks in Srinagar yesterday also targeting tourist, show that the terrorist bosses sitting in Pakistan have launched a renewed two-pronged campaign. One is to incite communal trouble in Indian cities like Bombay. Two, is to drive away from Kashmir, the tourists who have been returning in big numbers over the last few years helping the state limp back to some normalcy.
This is a battle cry from the terrorists which needs to be heeded seriously by the Indian government. Over the last couple of years, a lot of senior terrorists in kashmir have been killed or arrested. Which explains why even these attacks in kashmir are relatively low-fi grenade attacks. One can't help but feel that a plane hijack or a high-profile hostage situation is around the corner, to ask for the release of some key terrorists. The government needs to be prepared for such an eventuality. Even if they can not avoid such a situation, they should have a well-defined action plan ready to avoid a shameful capitulation like the Kandahar hijacking in 1999.
***
7:45 p.m. - Javed Akhtar outside a hospital on the verge of tears, is asked by a reporter "What would you like to say to the people of Bombay?". He responded - "Kya kahoon unhey?Bandh mat karo? Sab bhool jao? Kitni bar? Kitni bar?" (What should I say to them? Don't observe a bandh? Forget everything? How many times? How many times?)
**
8:00 p.m. - More than 24 hours after the attacks, the Prime Minister appears on TV to address the nation. The address is insipid, wishy-washy and predictable. "India will not kneel" he bleats. Even for a 3-minute address, he had to have a typed speech, which he kept reading from, looking down all the time. If you can not find it in your heart to deliver even such a short address extempore, get a teleprompter, for heaven's sake! At least give the people an illusion that you are looking them in the eye and speaking to them.
**
8:30 p.m. - The footage being shown now has him looking straight. Seems like they got the teleprompter working and recorded his speech again.
Day 1
6:58 p.m. - Serial blasts have rocked Bombay. AajTak is reporting 5 blasts, all in local trains along the Western line. The 5 blasts reported so far are in or around Mahim, Khar, Jogeshwari, Borivali and Bhayander. This is rush hour, and apparently the blasts have been very strong, so fatalities will be very high. All phone lines are jammed. Someone really wants riots in Bombay.
**
7:04 - The blast was at Matunga Road Station and not the Mahim station closeby. It turns out the blast was so intense that the station's roof was demolished. It has also started raining pretty hard in several blast sites making relief and rescue very difficult.
**
7:20 - According to CNN-IBN, at least 20 are dead in the Matunga Road blast alone. At least 2 blasts have taken place in first class compartments.
**
7:25 - Live pictures from different blast sites show only normal people helping the injured. Not a single cop or paramedic is visible. And it has now been over an hour since the first blasts happened.
They just showed the compartment in which the blast occured. It is badly mangled. These have been VERY powerful blasts.
**
7:28 - CNBC is claiming 6 blasts. They are listing Matunga Road and Mahim as separate blasts. The two stations are very close to each other. It is not yet clear if these are separate blasts or if CNBC has gotten it wrong.
**
7:30 - A Western Line official speaking to Aajtak has confirmed 7 blasts. Matunga Road and Mahim have been separate blasts. And there has been a blast at Bandra too. Most blasts have been in first class compartments. It should be noted though that even first class compartments are jam packed at rush hour.
**
7:42 - Rajdeep Sardesai on CNN-IBN - "These pictures are now being beamed on all CNN networks all over the world. Indians all over the world watching CNN are now watching CNN-IBN. This is the power of CNN-IBN".
Yes Rajdeep, we are very proud of you. Your timing for patting yourself on the back is admirable.
**
7:56 - Central Railway and BEST buses are running as per schedule.
**
7:58 - IndiaTV and Star News are talking of 8 blasts. Not clear yet where the 8th blast happened.
**
8:05 - Confusion prevails over whether there was an 8th blast. Now it has been 2 hours since the blast but no government official has appeared on TV to make a statement. On CNBC, a Mumbai police official, JCP Arun Patnaik, was quick to shirk off blame saying security in trains is the responsibility of Railway Police.
**
8:08 - The two channels are now back to saying 7 blasts. So the 8th blast has presumably not happened. At least 50 confirmed dead. But looking at how mangled the compartments are, I am sure the number will be at least thrice as much.
**
8:15 - Two hours and phone lines are still jammed.
**
8:20 - The Pakistan government has condemned the attacks. We are all very touched I am sure.
**
8:25 - Police are now confirming at least 100 dead.
**
8:30 - All the long-distance trains in and out of Mumbai on the Western Railway have been halted.
**
8:48 - Predictable response from BJP. law-and-order failure, soft approach, intelligence failure...blablabla.
**
9:05 - Rajdeep is unstoppable. He boasts - "CNN-IBN was the first to report these blasts."
**
10:15 - Sharad Pawar made a very sensible comment - "The Railway Minister, Home Minister and others may want to visit the site and the victims. And it is a natural reactions. But when VIPs visit so soon, it is seen that the attention of doctors and other staff at hospital goes more into looking after the VIPs. And the victims suffer. So my appeal to VIPs is not to visit the victims so soon."
**
10:22 - Oh yes, the final blast count is 8. The locations(from south to north) are - Mahim, Matunga Road, Bandra, Khar, Santacruz, Jogeshwari, Borivali, Mira Road
The official fatality count is 139.
**
10:25 - R R Patil, The Home Minister of Maharashtra spoke to media-persons giving these updates, giving relevant information and looking visibly upset. Such a statement means a lot more than the textbookish rhetoric-laden quotes being given by other politicians which just invites cynicism and derision.
**
10:50 - Oh dear. Now we are back to 7 blasts. The police have clarified that the 8th was not a blast but was defused unexploded. So 8 blasts were planned but only 7 went off.
**
11:00 - For people living in the Western suburbs, the situation as far as getting home is concerned, is a bit like 26/7 last year. Traffic is moving at snail's pace. And like last year, Mumbaikars are out on the street helping people out. Distributing samosas, biscuits, water etc to people stuck in the traffic.
**
11:55 - Some good news. The Churchgate-Mahalakshmi stretch of Western Railway is now operational. There wasn't a single blast between this stretch of course. The blasts occured between Matunga Road and Bhayander. Refer to this map to get a better idea. WR officials say that they will do their best to restore the entire line by tomorrow morning.
**
12:03 - The Western Express Highway, which is the arterial road connecting the Western suburbs, is packed with vehicles. Even the vehicles are packed. Cars and bikes which usually go half-empty are giving rides to people going in their directions. And of course, shopkeepers and residents along the road are on the streets with food and water, helping the travellers out.
**
12:05 - A friend from the US tells me that the blasts are getting maximum coverage on CNN in USA. It seems like the US has finally woken up to the reality of terrorism in India. I was amused to read a few American bloggers write about the blasts as if terrorism has made a debut in India. They mean well of course. They just don't know that terrorism has been a problem in India for over 2 decades now. This is not Spain or Bali where terrorism just "arrived". We've been nursing the tapeworm in our bellies for ages.
**
Perhaps overwhelmed by the unprecedented coverage for an Indian tragedy on American television, all the TV channels are calling it 7/11, American style. This is India guys. Remember 26/7, 13/12, etc? We call it 11/7. Capisce?
---
Also read -
Amit Varma
Mumbai Help
Metroblogging Mumbai
----
2:17 a.m. - I am signing off for the day. A few more updates as well as a few observations of my own -
Western Railway is working hard to ensure that the trains are back on track by the morning. Several stretches are already open.
The Shiv Sena has still not made a comment about this. They will obviously react with anger, lashing out at Pakistan and the UPA government. But I really hope, with all digits my extremities crossed, that they display some maturity and responsibility. I hope they do not escalate this beyond a limit. Considering their past record, the response to the statue desecration was compritively restrained, and I hope it holds true for the blasts as well.
Let us not get carried away and start accusing the authorities of negligence. Terror is not new to Mumbai and there is no reason to think that the police or the intelligence agencies had any concrete information that they failed to act upon. Placing bombs in trains in Mumbai is not very difficult, and it is not possible to avoid all such instances.
That said, maybe some measures are necessary. Installing CCTV cameras in all local train compartments and stations will help monitor security much better. Or at least identify the culprits and bust their networks. CCTV cameras will also help check incidents of molestation. It is one measure that needs to be thought of.
I need to sign off now as blogger.com will have a scheduled outage in a few minutes. It's been a tough day for the city, and the tragedy has a slightly personal note for me too. I am fortunate that neither me nor any of my acquaintances were victims today. But Western Line is "my" line. I have regularly travelled on those very tracks. The idea that almost 200 people were killed along the very familiar landscape which is a part of my life chills me, angers me and saddens me.
My condolences to all those families who lost someone today.
