Unfolding 1993 Bombay Bombings: In-Pic Story Of 12 Explosions Signifying The Darkest Chapter In Mumbai's History

Mumbai, a city that never sleeps and never stops, skipped its heartbeat for 2 hours on a Friday of March 12, 1993 when 12 bombs exploded in strategically planned locations to leave an unshakable impact on the financial capital. A dreadful story of revenge by a don, national and international political collusion, innocent 257 deaths and bloody streets left a deeper mark as the first terror attack on the city, completes 32 years today.

Let us dig deep into the unfolding of that black Friday of 1993:

The First Blast: At 1:30 pm, a bomb exploded in the basement of the Bombay Stock Exchange building, killing 50 people and injuring many more. The blast caused widespread panic and chaos in the area.

Serial Blasts: Over the next two hours, a series of bombs exploded at various locations across the city, including the Air India Building, the Centaur Hotel, and the Zaveri Bazaar. The blasts were coordinated to cause maximum damage and disruption.

Targets: The targets of the blasts included financial institutions, government buildings, and crowded marketplaces. The bombers aimed to disrupt the city's economic and social fabric.

Casualties: The blasts resulted in the deaths of 257 people, with over 700 injured. Many of the victims were innocent civilians, including women and children.

Destruction: The blasts caused widespread destruction, with many buildings reduced to rubble. The city's infrastructure was severely damaged, with roads, bridges, and public transportation disrupted.

Investigation: The Indian government launched a massive investigation into the blasts, involving multiple agencies, including the police, intelligence services, and forensic experts. Over the years, many suspects were arrested, tried, and convicted for their roles in the blasts. However, many others, including Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon, remain at large.

The trials and convictions of those responsible for the blasts provided some measure of justice for the victims and their families. However, the fact that many perpetrators remain at large continues to be a source of frustration and anger. The investigation revealed that the blasts had been planned and coordinated from Pakistan, with the involvement of Pakistani intelligence agencies and terrorist organizations.

Mumbai Police: The Mumbai Police were essential in the inquiry, gathering evidence, questioning witnesses, and pinpointing suspects. However, the most courageous of all was Labrador-Retriever, Zanjeer, who served as a detection dog with the Mumbai Police who detected over 3329 kg of RDX explosives, 600 detonators, 249 hand grenades, and over 6000 rounds of live ammo.

He also assisted in preventing three additional bombs in the days after the explosions, thereby saving thousands of lives. He passed away after he developed bone cancer in the year 2000. He was honored with a full state funeral.

Dawood Ibrahim: The investigation revealed that the blasts were masterminded by Dawood Ibrahim, a notorious underworld don with ties to international terrorist organizations to take revenge from Indian government over destruction of Babri Masjid.

Tiger Memon: The main perpetrator of the blasts was identified as Tiger Memon, a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim. Memon had planned and executed the blasts with the help of a network of accomplices.

Reforms: The 1993 Bombay bombings led to significant reforms in India's counter-terrorism laws and policies. The government established new agencies and task forces to deal with terrorism and improved intelligence gathering and sharing.