2 killed in blasts at Red Fort

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 18. Two persons, including an eight-year-old girl, were killed and about a dozen others injured in two powerful bomb blasts near Red Fort here on Sunday evening. The injured, mostly from Jahangirpuri, have been admitted to JPN Hospital.

The first blast occurred at about 8.30 p.m. when an explosive devise ripped through a unmanned DTC booth in front of Indira Market near the Fort. It is suspected that the bomb was concealed inside the mango crates kept outside the booth.

The impact of the explosion was such that the booth was completely destroyed, maiming and injuring those standing outside. Most were waiting for the Jahangirpuri-bound city bus stationed outside. One unidentified youth died on the spot, and eight-year-old Seema, a resident of Jahangirpuri, was declared brought dead at JPN hospital.

The other injured have been identified as Parmesh Prasad, Ravi Shankar, Mohammad Fakru, Jagdish, Baijju, Yashpal, F. Alam, Mohammad Haq, Anwar Prasad and Ramavtaar. Yashpal, said to be owner of the bus, was reported to be seriously injured.

Top Delhi police officials said the nature of explosion was yet to be ascertained. ``But we are surprised at the explosion. Generally this happens around Independence Day,'' the official said.

``It is too early to comment on. We are carrying out the investigation. Details of it would be known later,'' senior investigating police official said.

Even as police personnel from the nearby police post were rushing to the spot, another bomb - of lesser intensity - exploded a few hundred metres away on the road near Dangal Maidan of Subhash Park at about 8.40 p.m. The bomb was suspected to have been kept inside an MCD dustbin kept between two poles.

The second blast caused minor injuries to two roadside vendors - Sanjay Kumar and Satish Kumar - trading in readymade garments, who were packing off for the day. While the tables of both the vendors were blown off, the blast caused a deep crator of about 2.5 feet.

According to an eyewitness, Mr. Rama Kant Sharma, who owns a shop near the spot, a loud report along with fire exploded soon after the 8.30 p.m. namaj at Jama Masjid. ``Casualties could have been more. But being a Sunday the place was not very crowded,'' he said. ``Even as people were running for safety and police arrived on the spot, another one exploded.''

Meanwhile, the police sounded a general alert all round the Capital, as they received at least three calls from a public booth at Old Delhi Railway Station soon after the blast. The caller claimed that a few more bomb would explode in the Fatehpuri area.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : Key witness found dead
Next     : Ties with India stronger than friendship: Arafat