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 At least 13 people were injured in the twin blasts in Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque in Old Delhi, Friday afternoon, said the police.(Xinhua/AFP photo) | NEW DELHI, April 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people
were injured in the twin blasts in Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque in Old
Delhi, Friday afternoon, said the police.
The blasts caused no death and two injured were in
serious conditions, a policeman told Xinhua.
The first explosion took place at
around 5:15 p.m. (1245 GMT) Friday when devotees were preparing for the evening
prayer near a pond used by them for ablution inside the mosque. Fifteen minutes
later another blast rocked the place, eyewitnesses said.
The police said the bombs were of low intensity.
According to NDTV reports, intelligence agencies have
ruled out the possibility that the blasts were an act of terror, instead they
are being called an act of mischief.
Blood and blasts remains were seen along the side of
the pond in the center of the mosque yard, but the blasts did not damage the
floor and buildings of the mosque built around 400 years ago.
Top police officials immediately rushed to the spot
and the entire area was cordoned off. Those injured were shifted to nearby
hospitals.
Eyewitnesses said the explosives were suspected to
have been kept in plastic bags.
Immediately after the blasts, policemen in full
strength were deployed in the communally sensitive and crowded area to guarantee
order.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the
blasts and called for peace.
The Imam of the Jama Masjid also appealed to the
people to maintain calm.
The police told Xinhua that bombs had been found
unexploded in the mosque half a year ago.
Red alert has been raised in Lucknow and Varanasi of
neighboring Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur, Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh.
Hours ago, five people were killed and 15 others wounded in a series of powerful hand grenade explosions in India-controlled Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar. Enditem
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