India rounds up 350 in relation to train bombings

Indian police have rounded up about 350 people in connection with the Mumbai train bombings amid suspicion that Kashmiri militants could be linked to the attacks that killed at least 200 people.

Most of the detentions were made overnight in Malwani, a north-eastern suburb of Mumbai, police Inspector S Goshal said today. He said none had been formally arrested or charged and were rounded up only for questioning over Tuesday’s serial bombings.

Mumbai police commissioner AN Roy said: “There have been widespread search operations. A lot of people have been detained for questioning. This is all part of a large-scale investigation, the search operation and combing operation.”

He said those arrested included known thugs, gangsters and troublemakers who might have information about the culprits.

The arrests came a day after the police chief of Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai is the capital, said investigators were looking into a possible link with Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, one of the several Kashmiri militant groups fighting for independence from India for the Himalayan region.

“It is difficult to say definitely at this stage, but Lashkar-e-Tayyaba can be involved going by the style of attack,” said PS Pasricha, the director general of police for Maharashtra.

Lashkar has in the past employed near-simultaneous explosions to attack Indian cities.

A spokesman for Lashkar, Abdullah Ghaznavi, denied the group was involved, saying in a statement that “Indian security forces blame Lashkar in an attempt to defame Kashmir freedom struggle”.

The city was back on track today with tens of thousands of people jamming the commuter train service that had been hit by eight bombs, which killed at least 200 people and injured more than 700.

“The city has faced attacks in the past. It is always bounced back quickly … people have to go to work. What else are we going to do?” said Ashwini Lolo, an office worker in his 20s, at Bandra station, waiting to board a train.

Meanwhile Pakistan’s foreign minister reacted angrily today at suggestions that his country was responsible for the train attacks.

“You can’t really blame everything on Pakistan; it’s very unfair,” Khurshid Kasuri said.

“It’s very unfair to attribute all acts of lawlessness or violence to Pakistan, because India is a vast country. There are lots of people who have their own agendas, not just in Kashmir.”

Kasuri condemned “unreservedly the despicable acts that took place in Mumbai. No cause justifies the killing of women and children and innocent people”.

Pakistan, he said, was prepared to do whatever it could to fight terrorism and had banned many organisations.

“We are watching everybody. Anybody indulging in any act of terrorism will not be spared,” Kasuri said.

When asked about the possibility of Lashkar’s involvement in the Mumbai attacks, Kasuri said: “If we get evidence, we will definitely follow it up. There’s no doubt about it.

“The government of Pakistan will never tolerate acts of violence or planning on our territory.”