NEW DELHI: For the first time, peace in Mehrauli was shattered by the screams of innocent people as a bomb exploded in a busy market on Saturday afternoon.

After carrying out the initial rescue work without police and medical teams, residents of the area met at the Aulia Masjid, a few metres away from the blast site, for the evening namaz.

"We have prayed to Allah to punish the perpetrators of violence. The serial blasts had already spoilt this years Id celebration. Now we have lost our own neighbours," said Mohammed Khalid, a grocery shop owner

Being targeted by terrorists for the first time, people of the busy Sarai market, located a few hundred metres away from Bakhtiar Kaki dargah, came together to help the injured, who were members of their own extended family.

"There has never been any problem in this area. We live here as a family and religion has never divided us," said Owaisi Hasan, a resident of the area who had also come to the mosque to pray for those the injured.

Though there is a sense of fear amongst residents, they maintain that such blasts would not be able to divide the people on the basis of religion. "Our families have lived in this area for centuries, I dont think that an act of terrorism would make any difference apart from making us more alert to our surroundings," said Mohammed Qamar Riaz, a student who had come with his 8-year-old cousin to pray for the injured.

Residents of Mehrauli say the blasts in Delhi in the past two weeks were a desperate attempt to create panic and insecurity amongst the people. "These attacks are taking place because the festival season has started and the attackers knew that many people would go out shopping.

The terrorists had planted bombs in three markets last time, and this time again they also targeted a market," said Mohammed Rashid.

Source : DNA