India: Bombings in Bombay and Srinigar, and Other News

By Larry Habegger | Permalink | No Comments | July 11th, 2006 | Trackback

Police increased security on India’s rail networks and at airports following a series of bomb blasts in Bombay and Srinigar July 11 that killed scores and wounded hundreds more. The seven explosions over the course of eleven minutes on Bombay’s commuter trains during the evening rush hour killed 147 and injured more than 400. Hours earlier, in Kashmir’s main city, five grenade attacks killed eight and wounded 30. One of the bombings was on a tourist bus, another at a tourist facility. Seven of the dead were tourists. Authorities believe Kashmiri terrorist groups are responsible for the attacks but no claims have been made. In Kashmir, tourists have become prime targets in recent incidents because the tourism industry is rebounding and militants want to keep the economy depressed to put more pressure on the Indian government for a settlement of the decades-long dispute. Bombay has been the target of several attacks since a deadly series of bombings in 1992. Attacking civilians in the country’s most vibrant cities is a strategy used by Kashmiri terrorists as a way to draw attention to their cause. Authorities are investigating whether the attacks in Bombay and Srinigar were coordinated.

In other India news, large, rowdy demonstrations broke out July 9 in Bombay’s Worli and Mahim neighborhoods in response to the desecration of a statue of a local Hindu political party leader’s late wife. The violence subsided and the areas are calm, but incidents like this one can occur unpredictably in India and other countries where passions are easily inflamed. As much as possible, be prepared for anything when traveling here, and avoid large protests. In New Delhi, numerous power outages in recent weeks have tried the locals’ patience, with shortages occurring overnight in several areas of the city, lasting 12 hours in some areas. A power official said the shortages would last another week before normal supply is restored, but suffering residents have little faith in such words.

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