MUMBAI BLASTS TOLL ROSE TO 26

MUMBAI BLASTS TOLL RISS O 26

The death toll in the July 13 Mumbai serial blasts rose to 26 Saturday as another injured succumbed to his injuries at Harkishandas According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's Disaster Control Centre, the deceased has been identified as Chandrakant Vankar, 42. Vankar had suffered a serious head injury and deep wound in his right leg in the blast at Opera House in south Mumbai, a hospital official told 'We had operated upon him July 15 and removed the foreign body, but he continued to be very critical. He succumbed to his injuries this morning,' he added. Seventeen people died on the spot in the three blasts at Zaveri Bazar, Opera House and Dadar Kabutarkhana July 13 evening. Of the 131 people injured, nine have succumbed to their injuries post-blast.Some of the injured are still under treatment at various public and private hospitals, while most have been discharged.In the last one week only, two people -- Vallabhbhai Gadhiya, 48 and Mankeshwar Vishwakarma, 48, had succumbed to their injuries.

                                                   Prof. John Kurakar