New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) Two people were killed and over 50 injured in five blasts in various parts of the capital Saturday evening – three in Connaught Place, and one each in Greater Kailash I and Karol Bagh.
The first blast took place at Gaffar Market in Karol Bagh in central Delhi at 6.15 p.m. Initial reports said the blast had taken place in an auto rickshaw, and had injured around 20 people in the crowded market that specialises in the sale of mobile phones.
Early eyewitness accounts said two of the blasts in Connaught Place took place in the Central Park within a span of 10 seconds, and both bombs had apparently been kept inside dustbins. An estimated 20 people were injured at the spot.
“We ourselves picked up around 20 people from the blast spots and all of them have been rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in fire brigade vehciles, ambulances and even auto rickshaws,” said eyewitness Rajesh.
The third blast in Connaught Place took place near Gopal Dass Bhavan in Barakhamba Road at the entrance to the Metro station. This bomb was kept above a dustbin, eyewitnesses said. Two people were killed in the blast, the police said without identifying the victims.
Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal and other senior officers reached the blast spots in Connaught Place within a few minutes.
Another blast took place in front of a popular shop in the M-Block market of south Delhi’s Greater Kailash I – the Prince Paan Corner. The police said the explosive there was of low intensity. The injured were rushed to local hospitals, and there was no intial estimate of the number of people injured.
There was panic and traffic snarls in the affected areas as people tried to leave them while crowds gathered at the same time. Security was immediately tightened across the capital, and other large markets like the one at Sarojini Nagar were evacuated.