Coinciding with the 17th anniversary of the 7/11 train bombing in Mumbai, the citizen of the financial capital of India, remembered the victims and survivors of one of the worst terror strikes.
Not only was it one of the worst ever terror attacks in any metropolitan city in India; it was the most dangerous attack on urban transportation systems anywhere in the world.
At the Mahim station, BJP leader Dr Kirit Somaiya paid tributes to those who died in the chain bombing.
Seven blasts in 11 minutes on 11 July, 17 years ago in first-class suburban train compartments of Western Railway route in the evening peak hours have left Mumbai rattled.
As many as 187 people were killed and over 900 others were injured in the incident.
The crowded trains bound for Borivali and Virar were targeted on the Western Railway with orchestrated blasts in gents’ first-class compartments.
The commuters mostly include executives, businessmen and persons in employment at various levels in government as well as private establishments besides college students.
On 11 September, 2015, as many as 12 of the 13 accused were convicted by a special court and sentenced while one of them was acquitted.
Of the 12 convicts, five were awarded capital punishment while the rest of them were given life imprisonment.
The Bombay High Court is yet to commence hearing on the confirmation of the death penalty given to five convicts in the case.
The main planner and conspirator was Azam Cheema alias Babaji, the Bahawalpur-based LeT commander who doubles up as an ISI operative – a wanted accused in the case.. He started the planning several years ago and commenced training of some of the key players in the act of terror.
After a detailed probe, the ATS has pieced together the entire modus operandi, but the fact remains that the key conspirators are at large.
“The convicts must be awarded death penalties at the earliest,” Dr Somaiya said.
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