Three explosions shake New Delhi

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India's Capital Rocked by Blasts, Killing 35, Injuring Hundreds

Oct. 29 (Bloomberg) -- India's capital New Delhi was rocked by three explosions that killed at least 35 people and injured hundreds in crowded market places as people shopped for the main Hindu festival of Diwali and the Muslim festival of Eid.

The blasts left men, women and children with burns, bruises and broken limbs as they tried to escape, eyewitnesses said on television channels. Police officials said no one has claimed responsibility for the explosions so far.

The explosions are the deadliest in the Indian capital city since a suicide attack on the country's parliament on Dec. 13, 2001, that left 12 people dead. India blamed that attack on Pakistani-backed Kashmiri separatist groups. Pakistan had denied any involvement, saying it only lends moral support to the Kashmiri freedom struggle.

The explosions come at a time when India and Pakistan are discussing the possibility of opening the border that divides the territory of Kashmir, which was devastated in this month's earthquake. The two sides have been seeking to ease tensions since April 2003, after coming close to another war in the previous year.

``India will win the battle against terrorism,'' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a statement from the eastern city of Kolkata. ``The target is clearly the innocent citizens. Efforts to spread chaos and disturb peace will not be allowed to succeed at any cost.''

The first of the three explosions hit Paharganj, adjacent to the New Delhi train station and the central Connaught Place commercial district at 5:30 p.m., New Delhi police spokesman Ravi Pawar told Bloomberg. The blast was ``very powerful,'' he said. Explosions followed at Sarojini Nagar market and Govindpuri, both southern areas crowded with Diwali shoppers.

Market Fire

Fire engulfed the Sarojini Nagar market, which typically stocks clothes, garments and firecrackers for the Diwali festival, leaving as many as 20 people dead. About 15 died in the Paharganj explosion, television news channels said.

The main Diwali holiday is on Nov. 1, while Eid will be celebrated at the end of next week.

India's Home Minister Shivraj Patil said he wasn't in a position to confirm the number of casualties or know who was responsible for the attacks. The explosions killed at least 35 people, NDTV 24x7 television channel said, citing police and fire officials it didn't name.

Pakistan's foreign ministry condemned the attack in a statement issued in Islamabad .

``We hope a thorough investigation will be carried out and the perpetrators of this act of terrorism will be brought to justice,'' Pakistan said.

Death Toll

Seven dead victims were at Ram Manhoar Lohia hospital, said P.K. Mishra, the hospital's chief medical officer. Four bodies were at Lady Hardinge hospital, said A.K. Sood, the casualty department's chief medical officer.

It's not the first time India's biggest cities have been targets of terrorist attacks.

In August 2003, car bombs a few minutes apart in a crowded bullion market and outside a hotel in India's financial capital of Mumbai killed at least 44 people.

In 1993, a dozen explosions -- including blasts at the Mumbai stock exchange, Air India's Mumbai headquarters and the Centaur Hotel -- killed more than 250 people and injured 500.

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