Blasts Kill At Least 32 People In India
Julie Farby - All Headline News Staff Writer Mumbai, India (AHN)-A series of bomb blasts in a Muslim-majority town in western India killed at least 32 people and wounded more than 70. The bombs hit Malegaon town in the western state of Maharashtra as thousands of Muslims gathered at a burial ground for special Friday prayers. The blasts came days after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said intelligence agencies had warned of more terrorist attacks across the country, possibly on economic and religious targets as well as on nuclear installations. Maharashtra police told Reuters 32 people were killed and more than 70 wounded, but the Press Trust of India news agency quoted the state's deputy chief minister, R.R. Patil, as saying 37 were dead and more than 100 wounded. Although there were no leads reported about the attackers, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said it was apparently the work of "terrorists," telling Reuters, "When any incident of this nature happens, one can really come to the conclusion that this is something perpetrated by the terrorists." Patil continues, "The main design is not only to injure and kill innocent people ... but the bigger design is to see that different sections of society clash and create more difficulties, more turmoil and more bloody situations." India has been on a heightened security alert after a series of bombs on commuter trains in Mumbai killed 186 people in July. The attack |
