India has averted a catastrophic terror attack, preventing what could have been the world’s deadliest serial bombing. Security agencies recently uncovered a highly sophisticated plot involving 32 vehicles packed with an astonishing 3,200 kilograms of explosives. The scale of this foiled operation is chilling, with intelligence indicating an intent to unleash widespread devastation, potentially claiming thousands of lives and traumatizing the nation.
The uncovered conspiracy involved turning 32 cars into mobile bombs, each carrying approximately 100 kilograms of ammonium nitrate. This cache of explosives, totaling 3,200 kg, was enough to devastate entire communities. To grasp the magnitude, consider that a single bomb blast that caused significant damage recently was a fraction of this planned attack. The coordinated detonation of 32 such devices would have resulted in unimaginable destruction.
Experts analyzing the recovered explosives suggest that a 3,200 kg ammonium nitrate bomb detonated together would possess the destructive power of roughly 2.5 tons of TNT. Such an explosion would obliterate everything within a 50-meter radius, cause fatal lung damage from shockwaves traveling at extreme speeds, and lead to hundreds of casualties in crowded areas. Buildings within 150 meters would collapse, and windows would shatter for hundreds of meters around the blast sites.
Historical comparisons highlight the averted disaster. The 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, which used 1,800 kg of explosives, killed 168 people. This Indian plot, with 3,200 kg, would have conservatively resulted in over 300 deaths and many more injuries. The 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, using 1,500 kg, killed 257. A similar scale of attack with the planned explosives could have seen over 500 fatalities and thousands injured, eclipsing all previous terror incidents.
Despite the significant success in dismantling the network, critical questions remain. Only 2,900 kg of the 3,200 kg of explosives have been recovered, leaving 300 kg unaccounted for. Furthermore, out of the 32 planned vehicles, only three have been traced, including the car used in a recent incident and two others discovered in different locations. The whereabouts of the remaining 29 vehicles are unknown and could reveal the full scope of this dangerous terror cell.
The swift and effective action by Indian intelligence agencies has undoubtedly saved countless lives and prevented a national tragedy of unprecedented proportions. However, the discovery underscores the persistent threat of terrorism. Vigilance must remain paramount as the full extent of this network is still being investigated, and the missing explosives and vehicles pose an ongoing risk.