1993 Mumbai bombings: Check out 10 facts about the serial blasts which shook the nation

New Delhi | Jagran India Desk: The serial blasts in Mumbai that took place on March 12, 1993, shook the entire nation and killed 257 people while injuring over 700 others. The attacks were masterminded by fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim along with other absconding accused Tiger Memon and Yakub Memon to avenge the demolition of Babri Masjid which happened in December 1992.  

In the first leg of the trial that concluded in 2007, the TADA court had convicted 100 accused in the case, while 23 people were acquitted. While Dawood continues to be absconding and is believed to be living in a safe haven in Pakistan, the Supreme Court of India upheld the death sentence against Yakub Memon in the judgement of 2013 and changed the previous death sentences against 10 other accused into life imprisonment.

Here is a quick look at 10 facts about the serial blasts in Mumbai that took place on March 12, 1993:

• These serial blasts were the first of their kind across the entire world. They were also the most destructive ones India had ever witnessed. 
• While the attacks were masterminded by Dawood and Tiger Memon, Mustafa Dossa managed the landing of explosives including RDX in India and sent some youth to Pakistan to acquire arms training to execute the strikes.
• Yakub Memon was executed by hanging in Nagpur Central Jail at 6:35 a.m. on 30 July 2015.
• The serial blasts were planned to shatter India's economy, and that is why places like Bombay Stock Exchange, Air India building, Hotel Sea Rock, Hotel Centaur Juhu, Hotel Centaur Airport, Zaveri Bazaar, Katha Bazaar and Century Bazaar were selected. 
• Blasts happened mainly by planting bombs in cars and scooters. Meanwhile, in hotels, bombs were left in suitcases.
• A scooter and a Maruti van with weapons gave clues about the blast to the police. The van was registered under the name of Rubina Memon who was a family who was a part of the Memon family.
• Most of the accused, who were involved in planting the bombs, came from a poor financial background and carried out the dastardly act to avenge Babri Masjid's demolition.  
• Dawood Ibrahim's aide Farooq Takla was a facilitator for those key accused who left the country before and after the blasts. Takla used to facilitate the travel of men from Dubai to Karachi without immigration checks, for their training in making bombs and use of sophisticated weapons. 
• The then Chief Minister of Maharastra Sharad Pawar later admitted that he had made false statements to prevent riots in the city. 
• Rakesh Maria, who was DCP traffic then, found a key while searching Memon's house. He then tried to put it on an abandoned scooter filled with RDX and it worked. That's how he finally got to know about the involvement of the Memon family in the blast.