'But for 30 seconds, I would've been dead'

Says Mukesh Parmar (52), who had walked past the blast site at Zaveri Bazaar barely half a minute before the explosion took place

MUKESH Parmar (52), a transport company employee from Kandivli, escaped death by a whisker at Zaveri Bazaar last evening. He said he had walked past the blast site barely 30 seconds before the explosion took place.


Mukesh Parmar

"I have to be in the Zaveri Bazaar almost five days a week because of my work. I was at Crawford Market around 6.15 pm and had entered Zaveri Bazaar through Khau Galli 15 minutes later.

The street was crowded as usual and I must have walked barely a few yards from what was to be the blast site when I heard an earth shattering noise," said Parmar.

"I saw people rushing towards the spot and I rushed too. I couldn't make it, however, because a huge crowd was starting to run towards where I was to avoid seeing dismembered limbs of the dead strewn around.

A mini stampede ensued and I ran back. When a shopkeeper told me that the bang was from a bomb blast, I couldn't thank God enough for granting me a second life. But for 30 seconds, I would have been dead," a grateful Parmar added.