Rush-hour Mumbai stops to remember blast dead

MUMBAI - Millions of people in Mumbai stopped all conversation, traffic came to a halt and cinemas interrupted films on Tuesday as the Indian city observed a short silence in memory of 182 people killed in last week's bombings.

Sirens blared at key landmarks in the country's financial capital at 6.25pm coinciding with the time of the first of seven synchronised bomb explosions last Tuesday - bringing trains, buses, motorcycles and cars to a stop.

President A.P.J Abdul Kalam, his hand raised to his forehead in salute, led the two-minute condolence as people lit candles and laid wreaths at the Mahim station, one of the seven places on the city's suburban rail network hit by bombs.

Thousands of people lay bunches of roses and tulips at the blast sites along the busy railway network that runs like a spine through the city of some 17 million people by the Arabian Sea.

"We cannot share the pain but the least we can do is remember them and show solidarity with the families of the victims," said Arindam Sarkar, a young advertisement executive, after observing the two-minute silence by the roadside.

Bollywood stars, holding up huge banners, led a silent march of hundreds of people condemning the attacks and the biggest male star, Shahrukh Khan, appeared on television calling for religious unity.

"Terrorism will never succeed," read one of the banners in the silent march. "Thank you all for being strong. Thank you for being united," read another one.

Many Indians in other cities like the southern city of Chennai and in Kolkata in the east also observed the two-minute silence and held condolence meetings.

Indian officials strongly suspect the attacks may have been organised by the Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Police in Mumbai also believe Indian Muslims could have carried out the bombings, possibly members or former members of the Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), banned in 2001 for allegedly trying to stir up religious unrest over the US-led war on terror.

Hundreds of people, mostly minority Muslims, have been questioned and dozens detained, but no formal arrests have been made so far in the attacks that have hurt a budding rapprochement between nuclear-armed rivals India and Islamic neighbour Pakistan.

- REUTERS