It was bloodbath at the Indian stock markets on the first trading day of the new financial year on April 1, 2007. The Sensex -- the benchmark 30-share sensitive index of the Bombay Stock Exchange -- plummetted by a nerve-rattling 617 points following the Reserve Bank of India decision to hike the cash reserve ratio and repo rate last Friday. This is the second-largest largest fall in a single day ever witnessed in the history of the Indian stock markets.

The bloodbath at the markets ended with the Sensex losing 617 points to close at 12,455.

The Nifty lost 188 points to close at 3,634.

Here are the 10 biggest falls in the Indian stock market history:

1. May 18, 2006: The Sensex registered a fall of 826 points (6.76 per cent) to close at 11,391, it's biggest ever, following heavy selling by FIIs, retail investors and a weakness in global markets.

2. April 2, 2007:  Sensex slipped by 617 points to 12,455 following the RBI's decision to hike CRR and repo rates.

3. April 28, 1992: The Sensex registered a fall of 570 points (12.77 per cent) to close at 3,870, it's second-largest, following the coming to light of the Harshad Mehta securities scam.

4. May 17, 2004: Another Monday. Sensex dropped by 565 points, its third biggest fall ever, to close at 4,505. With the NDA out of power and the Left parties, part of the UPA coalition government, flexing their muscle, the Sensex witnessed its second-biggest intra-day fall of 842 points, twice attracting suspension of trading. At close, however, it regained some of its lost ground.

5. March 5, 2007: The Sensex lost 471 points 12,415 points.

6. May 15, 2006: The market fell by 463 points to 11,822 points.

7. May 22, 2006: Sensex slumped by 457 points to 10,482.

8. May 19, 2006: Sensex slumped by 453 points to 10,939.

9. April 4, 2000: Sensex slumped by 361 points to 4,691.

10. May 12, 1992: Indian stock markets plunged 334 points to fall to 3,086.