Mumbai, India – Indian police have detained about 350 people for questioning in connection with the Mumbai train bombings, officials said Thursday, amid suspicion that Kashmiri militants could be linked to the attacks, which killed at least 200 people.
Most of the detentions were made overnight in Malwani, a northeastern suburb of Mumbai, said police Inspector S. Goshal. He said that nobody has been formally arrested or charged and that the detainees were rounded up only for questioning to help with the investigations into Tuesday’s bombings in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay.
Mumbai police Commissioner A.N. Roy confirmed a large number of people were being held but refused to give an exact figure.
“There have been widespread search operations. A lot of people have been detained for questioning,” he said. “This is all part of a large-scale investigation.”
Meanwhile, an Indian Foreign Ministry official demanded that Pakistan dismantle all terrorist networks on land it controls – but fell short of directly accusing India’s nuclear- armed rival of a role in the attacks. Pakistan’s foreign minister denied his country bore responsibility.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh highlighted the achievements of this city of 16 million, which staggered back to life despite the attacks on the commuter train network.
“Your resilience and resolve will triumph over the evil designs of the merchants of death and destruction,” Singh said in a televised speech. “Let me say again, no one can make India kneel. No one can come in the path of our progress.”
Eight bombs ripped through packed trains during the evening rush hour Tuesday. The number of dead has risen steadily as rescuers found more bodies and people died of injuries.
