Mumbai terror attack: Terrorist's mistake saves many lives

MUMBAI: The Dadar blast — one of the three to hit Mumbai on Wednesday — could have been much worse and claimed more lives had it not been for a surprising bit of bungling by the one who placed the bomb. The explosive device was placed on top of a bus stop facing upwards. Officials say it would have been much deadlier had it been left facing down.

Seventeen people died and 133 were injured in the three blasts but no one died at Dadar though 10 were injured. Police said Dadar was chosen as it is crowded during the evening peak hours. A police officer said probably the terrorist wanted to keep the explosive at a more crowded place nearby but found it difficult and at the last moment kept it at the bus stop.

A senior police officer said, “We noticed that the blast caused more impact upwards , and tree branches above the bus stop were completely damaged. Due to the height of the place at the bus stop where the bomb was kept, the planter was probably unable to adjust the explosion’s directions.’’

An expert said terrorists try to plant bombs higher so that the explosion’s direction is downward for the splinters to hit upper body parts of the people caught in the midst.

The Indian Mujahideen similarly planted several bombs on trees, hoardings and a flyover in Surat in 2008. Those bombs remained unexploded because of a technical fault and were recovered.

Dadar explosive was balanced on the bus stop’s upper part and police are examining whether the explosive was kept in a tiffin box. “It could have been kept in a container. Bus stop metal was mixed with the container material so it’s difficult to comment about the type. Things will be clear only after forensic examination ,” said an investigator.

Residents of first and second floor houses in the buildings near the Dadar blast scene said most of their doors and windows were unlocked due to the blast impact.

The bus stop is on a busy road with shops and street vendors. Some people said they saw the suspect who kept the explosive. “We are verifying it. The CCTV in a shop opposite the blast site was focusing inside the shop. As of now there is no such input or eyewitness with us which can help us to establish the suspect’s identity,” a police officer added.