Calls said bombs would go off, they did

This had created quite a flutter among the top brass of Delhi police whenthe control room came on-line on the activated wireless handsets of theofficers at the site. The officers, when asked by reporters, denied they hadany such information. Senior police officers on the site, however, were seenhuddling together. Sources said orders were issued at about 9.30pm toincrease patrolling in the suspected areas. An emergency flash was relayedfor all control rooms and police stations across the city to keep high alertin their respective areas. This reporter heard one senior officer orderingon his handset, “DAP ko bhi tayar rakho, kabhie bhi emergency jaroorat padsakti hai.”

The police had almost sounded a red alert in the capital. Barricades wereput throughout the city and thorough checking of vehicles was on. Sourcesconfirmed that all entry points were being closely monitored by the police.This was the four the blast in the past one year.

In the previous three blasts, more than 55 people were injured. This is thefirst blast to claim lives.

Last year on June 3, over 27 persons were injured in an explosion nearFountain Chowk in the Chandni Chowk area. On January 3 this year, over 20were hurt in an explosion at the Old Delhi railway station. On February 27,eight persons were injured in a blast inside a guest house in Paharganj areanear New Delhi railway station.

On March 16, seven persons were injured in a low-intensity explosion in thecrowded Sadar Bazar area of North Delhi, ahead of US President BillClinton’s India visit.