Wednesday,the 13th

The rush-hour serial blasts sparked both anger and panic in Mumbai.

Mumbaikars returning home from work on Wednesday evening were revisited by a nightmare as news trickled across the city that it had been hit by three bomb blasts. The roads and railways were bustling with people and traffic in South Mumbai during the evening peak hours when the explosions took place.

Soon people were reaching out to each other. While some offered car pools,others offered help through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. There was a mixed feeling of anger and panic,even as people tried in vain to get through on phone lines in the city,which were jammed minutes after the blasts.

Trains,both in the western and central suburbs,were running as usual. But no vehicles were allowed to ply on the road adjacent to Churchgate station. Similarly,at CST,the railway police had closed a couple of entry gates to streamline the movement of commuters.

With the city on high alert,two constables at the Churchgate station rapidly frisked commuters with metal detectors,even as they checked their bags and umbrellas. They,however,said they were doing their usual job,and checking had not been stepped up due to the blasts.

The crowd at CST at around 8:15 pm was not even 60 per cent of what it is everyday. There were more commuters between 7:15 and 8 pm,as a large number of people simply walked into any compartment to board the first train available, said a Railway Protection Force personnel at CST.

While some people decided to leave early for home,many cancelled their plans for the evening as a precautionary measure. The police were also seen asking people not to gather in large numbers.

It was my birthday today and I was supposed to meet some of my friends at Juhu. I was shocked when my mother informed me about the blasts. I have cancelled all my plans now and am even scared to board the train. I have called my brother to pick me up at Andheri station, said Mausumi Bhagwat,a college student and a resident of Andheri,who was about to board the Virar fast local from Churchgate station.

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Most shops in the markets across the city shut early. As soon as we heard the news of the blast at Zaveri Bazaar,we immediately closed the shops. Since there were no taxis plying to Churchgate station,I have decided to walk to the station, said Nagesh Vora,a shopowner at D N Road,Fort.

Meanwhile,two unclaimed bags found in the city caused panic. While one was found in the ladies compartment of a Churchgate-bound train,another was spotted at a shop near Santacruz railway station. As the train took off at 7:30 pm from Borivali,passengers in a second class ladies compartment started inquiring about a black bag lying unattended. When nobody came to claim the bag,the passengers immediately called the railway helpline and reported the matter. The bag was finally taken away by a RPF constable. The second bag was found in a shop. The police reached the spot immediately after receiving a call and the area was evacuated. However,the bag only had a bunch of wires.

MUMBAI

MAJOR TERROR ATTACKS

Nov 26-29,2008: 165 people killed,hundreds injured in shootings and bomb blasts at 8 sites.

July 11,2006: 187 people killed in 7 bomb explosions at railway stations and on trains; another succumbs to wounds two years later.

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Aug 25,2003: Twin blasts at Gateway of India,Zaveri Bazaar kill about 60. RDX planted in taxis.

March 13,2003: Eleven killed,65 hurt in bomb blast in a ladies special train during rush hour.

Jan 27,2003: Thirty injured when a crude bomb planted in a bicycle explodes at a shopping complex outside Vile Parle railway station.

Dec 6,2002: Twenty-five people injured when a bomb in an air-conditioning duct explodes in a food plaza at Bombay Central railway station.

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Dec 2,2002: Two killed,31injured in a bomb blast in a bus outside Ghatkopar railway station.

March 12,1993: A series of bomb blasts rips through 13 places in the city,killing 257 people and injuring 713. These were the first blasts in which RDX was used and the explosions were allegedly planned by Dawood Ibrahim.

8230;Elsewhere

Feb 13,2010: 17 killed,over 60 injured in a blast at Punes German Bakery.

Oct 30,2008: At least 77 killed,over 100 injured in 18 blasts across Assam.

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Sept 29,2008: Five killed when a bomb kept in a motorbike goes off in a market in Malegaon.

Sept 29,2008: One killed,several injured after a bomb goes off near a mosque in Modasa.

Sept 27,2008: Three killed after a crude bomb is thrown in a busy market in Mehrauli,New Delhi.

Sept 13,2008: 26 killed in 6 blasts across Delhi.

July 26,2008: 57 killed in 20 synchronised blasts in less than two hours in Ahmedabad.

May 13,2008: 68 killed in serial blasts in Jaipur.

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Oct 2007: Two killed in blast inside Ajmer Sharif shrine in Rajasthan.