India, March 13 -- March 13 began like any other trading day, but by the afternoon the mood on Dalal Street had turned tense. Screens flashed red as panic selling gripped the markets. Investors watched anxiously as benchmark indices tumbled sharply, reflecting growing uncertainty across global financial markets.

The benchmark BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 ended the day deep in the red, dragged down by escalating tensions in West Asia and a sharp surge in global oil prices. Weak cues from international markets, continuous foreign fund outflows, and the weakening Indian rupee further dented investor sentiment.

The sell-off marked the third consecutive day of decline for the markets. During intra-day trade, the 30-share Sensex plunged 1,579.82 p...