Nine people were killed and scores injured when a blast ripped through a local train in Mumbai on Thursday night.
Rakesh Sherlekar, 30, a marketing executive, was traveling in the first class compartment, adjoining the one in which the blast occurred. He was on his way to his residence in Badlapur.
"I was late today, as compared to my routine. I boarded the train at CST. I managed to get a window seat. Around 8:45 pm, as the train was entering Mulund station, I heard a 'dhumm' kind of sound.
I could not guess what had happened. My bogie was shaking. I thought people must be reacting to a cricket World Cup match. It was only when I saw fumes that I understood a blast had occurred in the adjoining bogie.
I immediately called my mother from my cell phone and told her that I was safe. My bogie was still vibrating. I got off on the platform but many others panicked and jumped out of the train on the other side, on to the track and got injured.
I can't see blood. It makes me nervous. So I did not dare to go close to the site of the blast but I saw many injured being rushed to hospital. I rushed to platform number one and caught another train.
The blast will disturb the atmosphere in Mumbai."
Sudhir Rajkumar Dand, 36, was witness. He narrated the scene at the station to rediff.com
The upper part and the doors of the compartment were completely blown off. This is too bad. Jo hua Mumbai ke liye galat hua [whatever has happened is too bad for Mumbai].
"Just 150 metres away from the track, I was sipping tea with a friend in a restaurant. I heard the huge blast. I told my friend, 'Apne ko kya karna hai? [How does it matter to us?]'. Nevertheless, in less than a minute we rushed to the station. It was a terrible sight. The blast was too big and devastating.
There was total chaos. My first thought was that at least 25 people had died. People were screaming and telling police that 20 or more had died. I saw more than 20 ladies severely injured. In just two minutes a Shiv Sena ambulance arrived. They took more than 15 ladies to the hospital. I returned home after the police cordoned off the area.
The Ghatkopar bomb blast was forgotten in 4-5 days. What to do? Our life in Mumbai is so fast. It's too bad that we forget everything too soon. But these kind of blasts are terrible."
As told to Sheela Bhatt
