By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Jaipur : Terror struck again. This time they chose one of the most busy tourist cities in the country: Jaipur. It was 7:30 pm, 13th May, prime time for shopping when daytime temperature is above 40 degree. Markets were bustling but within minutes they were shaking with serial blasts.
Seven blasts rocked the city of Jaipur, killing 60 (by 11:30 pm report from TwoCircles.net source in the city) and wounding 100. The blasts of medium intensity took place in the walled city whose residential areas are heavily Muslim populated.
Rajasthan unit of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has condemned the blasts in strongest terms. Talking to TCN from Jaipur, state JIH president Er. Mohammad Saleem said the blasts seemed to be part of recent blasts carried out in different parts of the country with an aim to instigate communal tensions. These attacks wherein innocents are killed are well calculated, he said. Those behind such attacks, he said, want to fuel communal hatred between Hindus and Muslims and destabilize the country.
When asked about casualties, he said places for blasts – markets, shopping centres – indicate the perpetrators wanted a large number of casualties. The blast sites include Manas Chowk Police Station area, Lakshmi Mishtaan Bhandar in Johari Bazaar, Tripolia Bazar, Badi Choupal and Choti Choupal. One of the blast targeted a popular Hanuman Temple. Most of the injured are being treated at Sawai Mann Singh hospital.
Talking to TCN an hour ago from the hospital where wounded are being treated, Er. Saleem said casualties are from both communities. Three relatives of his close acquaintances were also among the victims. He said a JIH team and some other organizations, both Muslim and Hindu, are helping the injured and relatives of the victims.
He said investigating agencies must change their pattern of investigation whereby they accuse some Muslim organizations within hours of attacks, and this sets the course of enquiry by police and media. This policy is to terrorise Muslims, Er. Saleem said.
According to the authorities, one bomb went off in a car while another near a handloom shop. All the areas that have been targeted are tourist spots.
The police say there were no intelligence inputs available earlier, but they were generally on the alert because of the IPL matches taking place in the city. However, it is to be seen whether they change their statement in coming days.
Meanwhile, Mumbai and New Delhi have been put on high alert and the National Security Guard has been dispatched to Jaipur.
There have been communal tensions in the city. These blasts took place just seven months after the twin blast at the dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer on 11th October 2007. Two people were killed and 17 injured in that blast.
Shocked by the event, President and the Prime Minister have expressed condemnation for the blasts and appealed for peace and calm.
The American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) has condemned the deadly bomb blasts in the city of Jaipur which have reportedly killed sixty and injured more than one hundred people.
“We condemn this despicable and dastardly act. Our hearts and prayers go out for the victims and their families,” said Ali Qureishi, AFMI president, in a statement.
All India Muslim Forum, in a statement, has also condemned the dastardly terrorist attack in Jaipur, claiming scores of lives and leaving scores others injured. Dr. Mustafa Kamal Sherwani, president, All India Muslim Forum, said “The menace of terrorism can be eliminated only when the entire nation stands up as a single entity, the political parties stop the game of mutual recrimination in order to score the points and the tendency to proceed on certain assumptions regarding the involvement of the persons of one community ends.
Partial list of Jaipur blasts victims
Out of 56 dead that were brought to Sawai Man Singh Hospital, 42 have been identified.
1. Maina W/o- Anwar, Sikar.
2. Bano D/o- Md Sabir, Sikar.
3. Tara Shankar S/o- Satyanarayan, Jaipur.
4. Harish S/o- Tirath Das, Brahmapuri, Jaipur.
5. Sumera Ranjan D/o- Mustafa Khan, Brahmapuri, Jaipur.
6. Kumari Reshma, Jaipur.
7. Aini Khan D/o- Liaqat Ali, Jaipur.
8. Eqbal Ahmad S/o- Gaus Ahmad, Jaipur.
9. Bhagwati Devi W/o- Natwar Gopal, Jaipur.
10. Ram Prasad S/o- Natthu Lal, Jaipur.
11. Vijay Kumar Gusa S/o- Babulal, Jaipur.
12. Gopal Singh S/o- Namalom, Sanbhar.
13. Asha Ram Gujar S/o- Laduram, Thoke.
14. Mahender Kumar Sen S/o- Prakash Chander, Alwar.
15. Prabal Pratap S/o- Banwari Lal, Jaipur.
16. Chaman Lal Bagra S/o- Ram Chander, Jaipur.
17. Ramu Prajapat S/o- Loha Prajapat, Bihar.
18. Savitri Devi W/o- Prabhu Singh, Jaipur.
19. Narender Kumar Tanwar S/o- Chamanlal, Jaipur.
20. Kishan Kumar S/o- Suresh, Jaipur.
21. Puneet Soni S/o- Shiv Shanker, Jaipur.
22. Mehak Dagayach D/o- Sachin Kumar, Jaipur.
23. Diya Dagayach D/o- Sachin Kumar, Jaipur
24. Javed S/o- Moinuddin, Jaipur.
25. Deepak Yadav S/o- Lal Singh, Alwar.
26. Bharat Bhushan, Sikar.
27. Ram Sewak, Jaipur.
28. Mohan Lal Sharma S/o- Surjan, Jaipur.
29. Gaurav Sharma S/o- Mohan Lal Sharma, Jaipur.
30. Radhey Sham Yadav S/o- Ghasiram, Jaipur.
31. Murli Dhar S/o Chelaram, Jaipur.
32. Madan Lal S/o- Panna Lal, Jaipur.
33. Mukesh Kumar S/o- Kripa Shanker, Jaipur.
34. Kanha Ram S/o- Ganga Ram, Jaipur.
35. Constable Shahnawaz, Jaipur.
36. Era D/o Abdul, Jaipur.
37. Kawshallya Devi W/o- Satish Dhawan, Jaipur.
38. Ramesh Chauhan, Goda.
39. Haneef Khan S/o Ghulam Muhammad, Jaipur.
40. Sandeep Paswan S/o- Raghunath Paswan, Bihar.
41. Ramsewak Das S/o- Shiv Nandan, Jaipur.
42. Deepak Saini S/o- Shanker Lal, Jaipur.