Bomb Blasts in Delhi

A series of bomb went off in Delhi on Oct 29th, three days before the festival of Diwali. At least 61 people have been reported dead and scores wounded.

Reports says, three explosions went off in crowded marketplaces and one aboard a bus. All the blast went off within minutes of each other in what appears as a coordinated terrorist attack.

The police declared it a state of emergency and closed all markets early some of which were allowed to open later on.

News channel NDTV reported that the driver of the bus spotted an unattended bag on board and had evacuated most of the passengers when the bomb went off. The police is looking for a man in his 20s who had refused to buy a ticket on the bus and then got off leaving the large bag behind.

"These are dastardly acts of terrorism," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said. "We shall defeat their nefarious designs and will not allow them to succeed."

While avoiding speculation, anti-terrorism officials said the timing and nature of the blasts appear to link the attacks to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba, or LeT, the most feared militant group in Kashmir.

Pakistan condemned the multiple attacks in New Delhi.

"The attack in a crowded market place is a criminal act of terrorism. The people and government of Pakistan are shocked at this barbaric act and express deep sympathy with the families of the victims," a Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement said.