9/13 Delhi Bomb Blasts - An Eyewitness Account

Children were laughing, birds were singing and one Bengali guy was giving a passionate outpouring of his views to a group of friends. Tired after roaming about since afternoon, we were looking for a comfortable place away from the crowds to sit, chat and rest a bit. We settled for a grassy slope in Central Park that faced E- Block, Connaught Place.

A crazy/high guy came near us. He started doing pushups and giving weird speeches in a very loud voice. I felt really eerie and asked KK if we should move from there. A foreign couple was sitting nearby smoking. The tall blonde lady stood up and walked to a green dustbin nearby to dispose of some trash. Looking at the empty chips packets and plastic bottles lying around, we made a joke about how outsiders were more interested in keeping Delhi clean than us Delhites. When I turned to look back, the crazy/high guy had disappeared. We continued our conversation.

Suddenly, at around 6.30 pm there was a loud explosion. It seemed to come from behind E Block. Living in Delhi for as many years as I have, I was sure it was a bomb and told KK so. No sooner had I finished speaking, did the second blast happen. We both saw it. A white flash that rose 20 feet in the air, lots of white smoke and a huge explosion. We were shit scared. People started running like crazy, jumping over the spikes of the park fencing. I was trembling like a leaf. I knew many people, couples just like us, must be suffering or dead. We expected another blast and had no idea which way to run.

Only 10 minutes earlier we had been standing in the same area that the bomb went off. We entered Central Park through the gate opposite Palika Bazar. Deciding we needed some drinking water which was unavailable in the park, KK crossed the road to buy a bottle of mineral water from a vendor outside Palika Bazaar. I waited near the gate at the Central Park entrance. After buying the water, together, we walked passed the Green Dustbin, in which the bomb had been planted.

Later, as we stood comforting each other, the cops came and yelled at us to leave the park. We walked along the inner perimeter of the garden. Many people were crying. Crowds of people were standing on the traffic islands, too afraid to go to the main Connaught Place area because of the fear of more blasts. Ambulances, police jeeps and media vans sped along the Inner Circle road. I called up my parents to inform them about the blasts and that I was safe. We walked into Cafe Coffee Day in the Inner Circle, a relatively empty restaurant, for something hot to alleviate the stress. After some time, a cop entered the restaurant and yelled at the restaurant staff to keep an eye out for terrorists.

We left the restaurant half an hour later and found it real difficult to get transport back home. Autos were already packed. Those that were'nt refused to stop for passengers. Buses were few and crowded. The metro train services had been halted. People were stranded everywhere looking for transport. My parents were worried. My dad drove to Connaught Place to pick me up. KK ended up taking the bus. Reaching home, I realised all phone lines were jammed. Only SMS's were getting through. The fact that I was unable to reach my friends added to the panic. Vodaphone started working only after 10.00 pm, after which I felt some relief.

Later on, I heard on the news that another bomb had been defused in Connaught Place, Central Park. I thanked God for making sure that nothing happened to us and for keeping us safe in this terrifying situation. All I can say is, God Tussi Great Ho!! May the souls of the dead rest in peace and may the injured gain strenght to live life better than before!!

Have any of you been in a terrorist attack or faced such a situation??