Mumbai ’93 scare: Rush-hour bus blast kills two; bombs found in 2nd bus

Police also said two explosives were found in the back seat of another bus in the neighbouring suburb of Andheri—one of them had a timer attached.

Until late evening, no organisation had claimed responsibility for the Ghatkopar blast, which took place just days ahead of the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary. The bomb ripped through the rear of a BEST bus outside Ghatkopar railway station at around 6.25 p.m. as passengers were getting in, eyewitnesses told The Indian Express. The rear section of the vehicle was a mangled heap, indicating that the explosive had been placed there.

‘‘I live five minutes away. I was having my tea when I heard a deafening explosion. The cup and saucer fell from my hand due to the impact,’’ said Vipul Joshi. ‘‘I rushed down and saw people running in panic. All the shops shut down. For around 10 minutes, there was total chaos.’’ he added.

The area where the blast—which the police described as a ‘‘medium level’’ one—occurred houses a number of photo studios and labs, all of which had to be shut down because the blast had shattered their glass windows. ‘‘My shop was the only one that survived because another bus was standing right outside it,’’ said Jeetubhai Ajmera, owner of Konica Foto Lab.

Incidentally, the explosion coincided with the end of arguments in the Mumbai serial blasts case today.

Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home Kripa Shankar Singh, who visited the site of the blast, said that a conspiracy to create terror and tension in the metropolis could be brewing. ‘‘It’s too early to comment, but I feel that a terrorist organisation is involved in the blast. Prime facie, it appears that their aim was to create terror and tension in the metropolis,’’ he added. The Government has sounded a red alert throughout the state.