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NEW DELHI, Oct. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 55 people have been confirmed dead and more than 100 others injured as three blasts rocked crowded shopping centers in the Indian capital New Delhi on Saturday, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described the bombings as an act of
terrorism.
The attacks came just days ahead of the biggest Hindu
and Muslim festivals in the Asian country, where more than 80 percent of the
people are Hindus and over 13 percent Muslims.
The first blast was reported at around 5:40 p.m.
local time from the crowded Paharganj area, one of the most congested areas in
central Delhi close to the New Delhi Railway Station.
A closely following second one hit Sarojini Nagar,
another busy shopping area in south Delhi, popular among the middle class and
foreign tourists.
There were also reports of similar blasts from a few
other areas, including Govindpuri, also a teeming market, in southern Delhi.
Police immediately ordered all shopping centers in
the capital to shut down and appealed to the people to go back home, throwing a
damper on the celebratory mood ahead of the grand festival of lights.
Hospital officials said that at least 55 people have
been confirmed dead and more than 110 are being hospitalized, with somein
serious condition.
Prime Minister Singh has declared that the blasts
were an act of terrorism but it is still unknown who was behind the attacks.
Indian Home Secretary V. K. Duggal said the
government was following the situation as a red alert was sounded in the
capital.
"An alert had been sounded in all states, including
Delhi, for possible terrorist attacks during the festive season," Duggal said.
India's Hindus will celebrate Diwali, or the lights
festival on Tuesday while the Muslims will end their fasting month of
Ramadanlater in the week.
Police and fire brigade personnel immediately rushed
to the blast spots for relief and rescue operations. Traffic gridlocks caused by
holiday shoppers added to the woes of rescue workers.
In New York, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has
condemned the bombings and urged the Indian government to prosecute those
responsible.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Annan said he
is "appalled" by the crime, particularly shocked by this latest terrorist
outrage which occurred on the eve of the Diwali.
Saturday's attacks were among the worst in a country
which has been hit by several explosions in recent years.
In August 2004, a blast in Assam state killed 16
people, most of whom school children.
Twelve months earlier, two simultaneous car bombs
left some 60 people dead in India's financial capital Mumbai. Enditem
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