mumbai blast at 1.30 pm today

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Syed Firdaus Ashraf and Vijay Singh in Mumbai | August

25, 2003 13:22 IST

Last Updated: August 25, 2003 15:50 IST

 

 

At least 40 people have been feared killed and over

130 injured in two

blasts in south Mumbai -- one near the Gateway and the

other near Zaveri

Bazaar in busy Kalbadevi area -- Minister of State for

Home Rajendra

Darda said.

 

Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma confirmed there

were only two

blasts. Earlier reports had mentioned four.

 

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An eyewitness told our correspodent at Mumbadevi

circle in Kalbadevi

that he counted at least 15 to 20 bodies.

 

Saint George hospital has already declared 13 persons

'brought dead.'

 

Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Karun Srivastav, who was

at the Gateway

minutes after the blast, said he had information of at

least 12 dead. He

said six people were killed in the blast at the

Gateway.

 

Both blasts occurred between 1300 and 1330 IST.

 

Details are not yet available on the nature of the

blasts.

 

Police and fire-brigade personnel have reached the

spots.

 

The Gateway blast took place in the parking lot

opposite the historic

monument. Unconfirmed reports say the Taj Hotel's

lobby suffered damage

in the blast. An eyewitness said glass was strewn all

over the place.

 

Our correspondent counted at least 10 damaged cars at

the Gateway. The

entire area has been cordoned off. The road leading to

the Gateway from

the Regal cinema building in Colaba has been blocked.

 

The mobile network in Mumbai is not working in several

areas.

 

Sources in The Times of India building near the

Chhatrapati Shivaji

(Rail) Terminus said they heard a huge blast sometime

between 1300 and

1330 IST.

 

A red alert has been sounded all over Maharashtra.

 

Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal held a meeting

with top police and

civic officials at the government guest house

Sahyadri.

 

 

 

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