Serial Blasts Rock Mumbai – Part II Aseem N wrote this at 9:04 pm • Filed under India •

The Aftermath [Day1]:

Following the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, the injured were speedily rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Locals in the blast affected areas were putting in all efforts and money to rescue lives of the blast victims. As I saw on one of the leading news channels that residents were donating their savings to buy costly life saving drugs. With this genuine and unconditional effort coming up from the people of India we know for sure, that our nation will always stand against any terrorist attacks or calamities and help those affected.

But what we have to accept in disgrace is the lack of infrastructure to handle such emergencies on the part of the government and administrative domains. The channels broadcasting the live coverage of the blast affected areas showed clippings with the public infuriated over the police who were present at the incident. As they just watched people run around rather than helping them out. Later hospitals were flooded by friends and families who were left clueless of how to reach their dear ones. Though a record of the victims was made, it was not displayed publicly at any of the hospitals again leaving many who had come in search of their missing family members furious. As NDTV covered this disarray and incompetence of the administrative authorities, what made things worse were visits of VIPs to the hospitals - mostly politicians who thought that they would infill faith back into the public with their presence. But what they didn’t realise was that they left the family members craving and strangled in the crowd who had to be cleared off for security reasons during the ‘VIP visits’.

It took some hours for the surveillance systems to assess the situation and restore equilibrium. Later in the night a few local trains were allowed to ply over in Mumbai.

Mumbai Resumes to Work [Day 2]:

Within less than 12 hours, we saw Mumbai back to its routine life. Such terrorist outbursts can seldom ever take down ‘Aamchi Mumbai’ for long. No institutions whether administrative or educational were closed. This simply shows what a brave Mumbai and ofcourse India we live in.

Face It!

“Terror is something that remains in the minds of the people after the incident. But if we don’t allow it to infiltrate into our hearts and minds, we have definitely beaten the very aim of the terrorists”.

Media does play an important role in shaping the state of mind of the people. What makes me be glad is to see that they have proven to their duties and the nation has fought back. Ironically Everytime we witness such an incident and believe we have fought back, we do nothing but resurrect to our normal life and routine. And those responsible for this act that can be only condemned, scape through any penalty. I sometimes wonder of whether India really has the authority to even do a hundredth of what America did to Afghanistan on 9/11. We can probably only make our cries heard to the United Nations and seek for statements against terrorism and condolences for the victims. I thought for any strike, a counter-strike was the best deal… but exposed to the real world we all are left only to see and accept our brothers and sisters trying to compromise with life…

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Serial Blasts Rock Mumbai – Part I Aseem N wrote this at 1:28 pm • Filed under India •

Yesterday evening, seven blasts rocked suburban trains in Mumbai killing over 190 people and leaving another 625 injured. The blasts occurred between 6:00 to 6:30pm in first class compartments of trains at Mira-Bhayander, Borivli and Jogeshwari (in north Mumbai), Santacruz and Khar (in north-west Mumbai), and Mahim and Matunga (in central Mumbai) and on the Western Railway network.

As the blasts ripped apart train compartments, charred and distorted bodies of passengers were hurled out, most survivors bleeding profusely, jostled to come out, leading to chaotic scenes. An incident that people will remember for long as they strive to forget these bitter memories in which they lost their near and dear ones.

The reports of blasts that came in after a terrorist attack on a tourist bus in Srinagar killing 8 people earlier in the morning are definitely one amongst the many shameful acts of man against mankind. Pakistan, India’s rival over this disputed territory quickly condemned the bombings. Even so, India alleges that Pakistan supports the Muslim militants. A Kashmiri link to the blasts could slow or perhaps even derail the peace process that has gained momentum between India and Pakistan over the past several years.

As the world witnessed Mumbai’s gory nightmare, India was striving to provide help to the victims. Most TV channels were giving complete coverage of this incident. People around the blast affected areas were lending a helping hand to the survivors providing them with life saving drugs, basic amenities like food, shelter and helping them trace their friends and relatives. The whole nation was in a state of shock the whole of yesterday. Those who survived were strangled in the disarrayed Mumbai trying to reach news of safety to their families as all telephone and cell networks were taken down.

One friend of mine (working in TCS) who survived the blasts wrote by email:

Hi,

The tragedy of bomb blasts …I was in the same train where the biggest blast of the serial blasts happened today..at Bhayander..

This train is the normal train from Churchgate which starts at 5.19 PM and reaches Vasai around 6.40 PM..We sit in middle first class as a group alwyas and some of our friends sit in the first class near the ladies first class compartment..I don’t know what happened with them as there was havoc at that time…

We got a big thrust to our train and thought it was some technical problem in the train and may be the overhead wire or something broke down….but then the smoke started coming out…and we jumped on the tracks..and what we saw in the compartment just ahead of us was horrible…the compartment was totally shattered and it was blood all over..

We were not in a position to do anything but stand in a big shock..then slowly we came to our senses and saw police,fire brigade and ambulances approaching us…Local people who stay near the tracks also helped with water and first aid…

As India takes time to resurrect from this horrendous incident… July the 11th a date that will forever remain a fear in the hearts of the people of Mumbai as many others like March 17th, August 25th which are still fresh in the minds of the people.

What I fail to understand is this futile thirst for blood that has been wrecking lives of many Indians since Independence. After every attempt of perturbing the peace by the terrorists, Kashmir the disputed land remains and forever will remain to be an integral part of India.

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