Deaths rise to 19 in Mumbai blasts

Two men who sustained serious injuries in Wednesday's rush-hour bombings died in hospital.


Afp July 16, 2011

MUMBAI: Indian detectives trawled for leads on Saturday to the triple blasts which rocked the country's financial hub, Mumbai, as the death toll from the coordinated explosions rose to 19.

Two men who sustained serious injuries in Wednesday's rush-hour bombings died in hospital, a home ministry statement said.

Twenty people remained in a serious condition in hospital as a result of the blasts in which a total of over 130 were hurt, the ministry said.

The rise in the death toll came as some Mumbai residents held candle-lit vigils to mourn the victims of the blasts, the deadliest attacks in the city since the 2008 siege by militants in which 166 people died.

There have been no claims of responsibility for the latest attacks.

Investigators have been scrambling for a breakthrough in the case, amid fears torrential downpours that have hit Mumbai since the explosions could have washed away vital clues.

Police have been questioning two suspected members of the Indian Mujahideen, a domestic group with links to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistan-based militant outfit blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Home Secretary RK Singh told reporters in New Delhi that "people are being questioned based on our previous databases and previous known linkages" to help find those responsible for the blasts.

Teams of detectives were also scouring hours of grainy security camera footage taken from the bomb sites in south and south central Mumbai to try and assemble a complete picture of what happened.

Police examination of debris has already indicated that the bombs, hidden in the crowded streets, used ammonium nitrate, a fertiliser ingredient commonly used in improvised explosive devices.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Kolkata that militants were mistaken if they thought that they would be able to destabilise India through "terrorist acts".

"If the terrorists feel that they will be able to destabilise India, then they are utterly mistaken and we will be able to overcome the challenge," he told reporters, according to the Press Trust of India.

"Incidents of such a nature will only strengthen our resolve to fight terrorism," he said.

COMMENTS (3)

Dr. Saleem Siddiqi | 12 years ago | Reply

@Singh is king: Would you able to launch such gagets into space. But would you be able to watch such anti-terrorist activities from space satellite.

You need to have a fool-proof Policing system to avoid all such activities and save the lives of Mumbaikar.

Regards

Dr. Saleem Siddiqi Johannesburg - South Africa

Singh is king | 12 years ago | Reply

Dear Sir Apart from this there is one more important news from India these days- India's PSLV has successfully launched a 1.4 tonne satellite in Sub-GTO orbit with point-blank precision. I am Indian & was curiously watching Pakistan media's coverage for this news- but alas! you people & all of pakistan media have chosen not to cover it at all

VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ