From HT Archives: When terror tore through India’s financial capital
Over 300 killed, 1,000 injured in a series of bomb blasts across Bombay on March 12, 1993. Army on alert, investigations underway.
More than 300 people were killed and at least a 1,000 injured in a dozen powerful bomb blasts that had a massive impact all over Bombay on March 12, 1993, gripping the megapolis in panic and fear.
The bombs were meticulously planted over a distance of over 30km, from the Bombay stock exchange building in South Bombay to Centaur Hotel (airport) in the North. By 6pm, hospitals had already received 300 bodies and 500 injured persons -- all victims of bomb blasts.
The army has been put on alert in the city. Maharashtra chief minister Sharad Pawar has also ordered the entire police force to be put on a state of high alert, according to officials.
The 29-storey Bombay stock exchange, the country’s premier bourse, was the first to be hit by two powerful blasts sending an estimated 3,000 people in the trading ring running helter-skelter as the mirrors and window panes there shattered, injuring several of them.
The blasts apparently originated in the basement car park and in the office of the Bank of Baroda, police and fire brigade officials said.
Within a short span, explosions occurred in 11 other places.
It all began at 1.20pm. There was a massive explosion in the basement parking of the BSE building. Scores of cars parked in the basement were destroyed beyond repair and at least 40 people were killed on the spot. Thousands of people ran helter-skelter.
The explosions occurred far away from the places of worship and it could not be considered an act against any particular community.
The next blast was in Narsi Mehta street near Masjid Bandar station at 1.35pm. A truck loaded with chemicals by the side of a car exploded causing wide devastation. The next was at Gadkari Chowk in Dadar near Shiv Sena Bhavan at a petrol pump. This was at 2.30pm. A few minutes later, there was a massive explosion in Gopal Nagar near the passport office.
The most powerful blast was at the Air India Building, which left at least 25 people dead. The Bank of Oman office was reduced to debris and six of its employees were among the dead. The Air India security office was reduced to rubble. Most of the offices of various airlines in the building were destroyed. This explosion was at 2.45pm. The sixth explosion was at Madanpura in Nagpada area at 2.42pm. Century Bazar area of Prabhadevi was rocked at 2.58pm.
A number of bombs burst in a local bus. It was blown into smithereens. The upper half of the driver’s body was found on a hutment nearly 400 metres away. Another eight buses close to the site of the explosion were also seriously damaged. The toll here alone could be around 100.
An explosion rocked Zaveri Bazar, outside a well-known jewellery shop. There was a bomb blast inside Plaza cinema in Dadar at 3.16pm. Sea Rock hotel was rocked, with a blast in locked room on the 18th floor at 3.50pm. Centaur Hotel at Santa Cruz Airport was shaken by a powerful explosion at 3.55pm, and Centaur Hotel in Juhu suffered a similar blast at 4pm.
According to experts, remote control devices were used in most of the blasts.
With major bomb blasts at Bombay Stock Exchange and Air India building, people left their offices and rushed home, fearing something worse.
A “very high level” team of expert investigators including those of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) is being rushed immediately from New Delhi to Bombay.
The Centre airlifted 11 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from New Delhi along with forensic experts to Bombay following a series of bomb blasts in the city.
A special control room has been set up in the Home Ministry in north block in New Delhi to monitor the situation in Bombay. Minister of state for home PM Sayeed is supervising the control room and is in contact with the authorities in Bombay.
Police and fire brigade officials said the toll is likely to go up with scores of people in serious conditions in 10 hospitals.
The government’s decision to ask the army to be on standby was announced by Pawar following an emergency Cabinet meeting after the blasts.
Explosives experts from four national agencies, including National Security Guard, Defence Production Department and Intelligence Bureau have been called in to investigate the explosions, Pawar said. Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Riot Control Force have been deployed in the city as a precautionary measure. Security has been beefed up at vital installations in the city as well as the airport.
The CM announced an assistance of ₹2 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the explosions. Those permanently disabled would be given compensation of ₹25,000 each, while other injured would be paid ₹10,000 each.
City Police Commissioner AS Samra said the blasts should not be linked with the prevailing law and order situation which was described by him as normal. He felt the explosions were a part of a deeper conspiracy by mischief mongers and antisocial elements.
He confirmed blasts at 12 places, adding that the police had sent out an SOS for blood donation to the critically injured.
Even as businesses and offices closed early and panic-stricken citizens headed back to the safety of their homes, political parties and social organisations appealed to people to maintain calm and provide assistance to those affected.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray called on the people to maintain calm after Sena workers turned restive following the explosion near the party’s headquarters.
“It obviously appears to be a well-planned operation,” said senior Cabinet minister Padamsinh Patil, who visited the stock exchange and Air India building.
The blasts took the intelligence agencies of the country, particularly the Bombay-based agencies, by surprise as none of them even had an inkling of the impending attack. The Bombay police have set up an experts committee to unravel the plot.
Chief minister Sharad Pawar said the purpose of the explosions is to disturb the peace and destabilise the economy of Bombay and the country.
He appealed to people to maintain calm and not be provoked by rumours. He told reporters that riot-control measures have been immediately put into action and forces deployed.