- Title: INDIA: Bombs kill more than 50 in New Delhi markets
- Date: 30th October 2005
- Summary: (EU) NEW DEHLI, INDIA (OCTOBER 29, 2005) (ANI) ++FIRST BLAST (MARKET IN PAHARGANJ AREA NEAR RAILWAY STATION)++ (NIGHT SHOTS) INJURED BEING CARRIED TO AN AMBULANCE (3 SHOTS) PEOPLE AT SITE, FIRE, SMOKE BELLOWING OUT, PEOPLE MOVING AROUND PEOPLE CARRYING ANOTHER INJURED PERSON SMOULDERING DEBRIS PEOPLE TRYING TO PUT OUT THE FIRE A BODY BEING RECOVERED FIRE-FIGHTER DOUSI
- Embargoed: 14th November 2005 09:55
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVA6EU29QKNN5QQKYRJEFO5HXVCJ
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Three powerful bombs tore through New Delhi markets packed with families and shoppers on Saturday (October 29) ahead of the biggest Hindu and Muslim festivals of the year, killing more than 50 people and wounding scores.
Charred bodies, blood, glass and smoking debris littered the scenes as rescuers frantically pulled out the dead and injured while thousands of shocked survivors milled around trying to find out what had happened to missing relatives.
The blasts occurred within minutes of each other, killing more than 50 people, officials said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared the coordinated attack an act of terrorism, adding that it was too early to speculate who was responsible.
Security at airports and railway stations was stepped up. Some media reports said up to 10 suspects had been arrested, but there was no confirmation from police.
Singh called for calm and police in the financial capital, Mumbai, put the city on high alert. Markets around Delhi closed as emergency vehicles battled through gridlocked streets.
"He (Prime Minister Manmohan Singh) has urged the people of Delhi to maintain calm. He has urged the people of India to maintain calm. India will never be defeated by terrorism," said Sanjay Baru, spokesman for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh -- who is expected to cut short an official visit to the eastern city of Kolkata to rush back to the capital.
"The Prime Minister has said that all the nefarious designs of terrorists would be defeated. He has asked the people to remain calm and he has also said that this kind of cynical attack on civilians cannot be acceptable. It is not acceptable," he added.
Singh cut short a visit to the eastern city of Kolkata to return to Delhi to chair an emergency meeting of the cabinet's security committee.
India has blamed previous attacks in the capital on Pakistan-based militants, including one on parliament in 2001 that killed more than a dozen people and brought India and Pakistan to the brink of nuclear war.
However, the country is racked by scores of rebellions and in May two cinema blasts blamed on Sikh separatists killed one person and injured dozens of people. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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