THREE-and-a-half years, 320 deaths, more than 1,157 seriously injured. That’s the sacrifice Mumbaiites have made to the growing terrorism in the state. Thirteen years after the first serial blasts rocked the city on March 13, 1993, in the wake of the Babri Masjid demolition, the city has witnessed 16 bomb blasts, all of them after the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat.

The 7/11 train blasts were a reminder that the city continues to one of terror’s top targets. In spite of investigating, arresting and charging members of suspected anti-national organisations for their alleged involvement in the earlier blasts, recurrence is a reality. But then as Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Joint Commissioner of Police K P Raghuvanshi told mediapersons two days after the latest blasts, ‘‘This is unfair. While we have to succeed always, they (terrorists) have to succeed only once.’’

THE year began with the ATS arresting three Lashkar-e-Toiba operatives—Khurshid Ahmed (29), Arshad Ghulam Ghansi Ahmed Badru (27) and Md Ramzan Abdul Wahab Kazi (52), all from J&K—with five integrated electric circuits, 20 detonators, five timer switches and a loaded .32 pistol. They were arrested on January 5 in an early morning swoop from Nagpada, close to the ATS headquarters. Officials say that this was the first indication of pan-Islamic extremist groups making renewed efforts in executing terror attacks in the city.

Ten days later, their local contact and Haj House Imam, Maulana Ghulam Yahya Allah Baksh, was arrested. However, Baksh could throw little light on what the group’s plans as he was picked up before his J&K-based bosses issued him further instructions.

... contd.