A Recurring Nightmare

Not again. That was the first thought that flashed through Manish Shah's mind when he heard news of the bombs that brought Bombay's evening commute to a screeching halt. Before he even knew the details, before the first images of bloodied bodies spilling from shattered train carriages flashed across television screens, Shah was dialing his friends from the bank where he works, hoping to hear the voices of those who had taken the express trains home that evening. He was met with silence.

In the span of 11 minutes, seven bombs ripped through the packed first-class carriages of...