Bombs explode in India on Babri demolition anniversary

NEW DELHI: Four persons died and 28 were injured early this week in Delhi and nearby areas in bomb blasts which took place on the eve of the first anniversary of the demolition of historic Babri mosque by Indian Hindu extremists on Dec.6, 1992.

The main targets were Delhi bound trains. The bombs were planted in at least five trains. The Indian authorities suspected the hand of Muslim youths in the incidents. No one owned the blasts.

Meanwhile, upper caste Hindus assembled at Ayodhya to celebrate “Ayodhya festival” which they said would be held every year as a mask of removal of the “Hindu Slavery” in the form of Babri mosque from the face of Ayodhya. The function was: organized by Vishwa Hindu Parishad Strangely, the meeting passed a resolution paying tributes to Dr.B.R.Amedkar.

A nationwide red alert has been sounded at all railway stations but the investigating agencies arc as yet grappling in the dark, with no Apparent clue to the identity of the culprits who triggered these blasts on the first anniversary of the demolition of the disputed Babri Structure in Ayodhya.

‘The first blast occurred on Dee. At Karbiwan ‘station, near Allahabad. The bomb went off in a party car injuring two waiters. Four more blasts followed on Monday.

The last explosion, which shook AP Express third coach from the engine, at Maula Ali station near Secunderabad, was the most powerful of the five blasts: One per person, Abdul Majid, died on the spot, while 10 others sustained injuries, two of them seriously; all the five explosions were timer activated. Like the Bombay blasts, these too exposed the failure of intelligence agencies in sounding the alarm. Before he was whisked away by a team of doctors and Railway officials from the platform. Dileep Mehta, the back of his shirt stained with dried blood, recalled with a shudder how he “missed death by sheer luck.” At exactly 6:12 a.m., the ill-fated C7 coach of the train was enveloped in smoke and darkness with sharp nails from the explosive flying all around.

The bomb, of medium intensity, was placed on achaircarno.4 near the front vestibular section. “Was fast asleep,” Mehta recounted, “the loud boom woke me up but within seconds I was losing consciousness. When I regained consciousness, | found my shirt soaking with blood. The first thing I did was change my shirt.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 10, 1993