Bomb blast kills at least 10 in Mehrauli; New Delhi attacked twice within a month

According to eye witnesses, around 2.15 pm, two unidentified youth on a motorcycle dropped a black plastic bag containing a tiffin box-type container outside an electronics shop near a busy flower market in Mehrauli, close to the historic monument Qutub Minar.

"A young girl immediately picked up the bag and passed it on to a boy of around 10-12 years, who ran after the duo saying, 'Uncle, uncle, wait. You have dropped something.' Seconds later, there was a huge explosion which blew the buy's head off," said Sunil Kumar, who barely managed to escape from being killed.

Kumar said the bomb left a huge crater on the road and there was thick smoke all around. "There was total chaos after the blast. Crowds of people were running here and there, scurrying for safety. There was panic in the air," he said.

"People were lying all around in blood stained clothes, crying and writhing in pain. Sometime later, ambulances came to take away the injured to the AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital," Kumar said, adding, in the pandemonium, the duo on the motorcycle managed to make good their escape.

The latest attack is reminiscent of another that took place barely a month ago when five bomb went off in busy commercial areas of Connaught Place, Karol Bagh's Gaffar Market and M-Block Market of Greater Kailash-I. In that attack, at least 30 people died and over 60 were injured.

The area has been cordoned off and bomb experts and sniffer dogs have been called to pick up clues. However, till now, the police have failed to make any headway regarding the identity of the attackers. As of now, no terrorist organization has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The latest attack has left the Indian government, which has come under scathing criticism for failing to rein in terrorism, red-faced.

"The government will have to take stern measures to put an end to this type of activities and acts of terror," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.

The Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, who has come under intense pressure to resign, has reviewed the situation with top officials of his ministry and has extended all assistance to the Delhi Police Commissioner to deal with the incident and apprehend the attackers.

Police teams have been posted in sensitive areas and shopping districts have been evacuated as a safety measure.

The city has been put on high alert and state borders have been sealed off to prevent the suspected terrorists from escaping.

According to Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police (Southern Range) Ajay Kashyap, initial investigations have revealed that the bomb was planted by two motorcycle-borne youth in their early 30s. "The two youth were in black T-shirt and wearing denim. They were wearing black helmets and riding a black Bajaj Pulsar. So it has not been possible for the eye witnesses to identify them," Kashyap said.

Kashyap said the Delhi Police is in touch with the Gurgaon Police as the blast site was located near the city.

"We have also issued a look out notice," he said.

The bomb was made of crude material and did not have a timer, the police chief added.