Posted on 03/07/2006 1:16:42 PM PST by indcons
Two powerful bombs went off within minutes of each other — at the famous Sankat Mochan temple and the Cantonment Railway Station — in Varanasi on Tuesday evening, killing at least 28 people and injuring 100 others.
Late-night reports said the death toll could be higher.
The first blast took place at the Sankat Mochan temple, near the Banaras Hindu University, around 6.15 pm. About 3,000 devotees had assembled at the temple to offer Tuesday aarti. At least four persons died on the spot. The bomb is believed to have been kept in a box.
Eyewitnesses said the blast created a stampede-like situation, with people running in panic. They gave accounts of a gory sight: blood on the floor and flesh strewn all over. They said many of the injured simply collapsed and had to be carried out.
The injured were taken to the nearby BHU hospital and other private hospitals. One of the injured has been identified as Qamar-ud-Din. Following the blast, the temple was sealed.
Around 20 minutes later, another powerful bomb rocked the waiting room on platform number one at the Cantonment Station. The Delhi-bound Shiv-Ganga Express, scheduled to leave at 7 pm, was at the platform. Reports said at least 10 were killed and over 40 people were critically injured in the blast. The impact of the blast was such that it left a crater on the platform. "The entire place shook and soon there was flesh and blood lying everywhere," said a survivor. "It was a terrible scene. Five-six bodies were lying nearby."
Sources said the administration suspects RDX was used in the blasts - indicating involvement of terrorist organisations. However, till late night no group had claimed responsibility.
Even as the city was reeling from the shock, more live bombs were recovered -- from Gyanvapi Complex, from a restaurant in the Dashashwamedh area and two from the Cantonment Station restaurant. They were said to be timer devices.
Soon after the blasts, the city felt the after-effects: shopkeepers downed shutters and people started raising anti-Pakistan slogans, raising fears of a communal flare-up.
Additional policemen have been deployed in public places and vital installations, including airport, railway stations and bus stands, sources said. Patrolling has also been intensified throughout the city as precautionary measure.
The security has also been stepped up in and around the sensitive Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Gyanvapi Mosque and additional forces have been deployed to monitor the activities of anti-social elements, sources said.
Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav condemned the blasts and announced a relief of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the deceased.
In Delhi, Union Home Secretary VK Duggal told reporters that the pattern of the Varanasi blasts was similar to the pre-Diwali serial explosions in Delhi last year.
President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the blasts and appealed to the people to maintain peace. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil rushed to Varanasi late in the night.
Immediately after the blasts, the police were put on high alert in several parts of the country.
(With inputs from Delhi)
already posted
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1591813/posts
Despicable.
Different source, headline, and casualty figures. That's the reason I posted this story.
I recorded this Muslim in a chat room saying it's perfectly acceptable to behead non Muslims and to Slaughter us if we are "at war with Islam and Muslim." He conveniantly left out the part where Islam is always at a state of war with Non Muslim and Non Islamic lands.
http://ia300202.us.archive.org/2/items/UnKnownJihadonPaltalk/islamkillkafir.wma
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/07/AR2006030700961.html
"Situated in the state of Uttar Pradesh about 400 miles southeast of New Delhi, the historic, densely packed city of Varanasi is sometimes called the "Hindu Jerusalem" to underscore its religious significance....[snip]
"Some analysts saw a possible connection between the bombings and Hindu-Muslim clashes in the city of Lucknow Friday that left four people dead. The clashes grew out of Muslim protests against Bush." [snip]
Very useful link....thanks for posting.
Those crazy mad cap muslies. Killing themselves again are they?
I wish they killed each other instead of kiling "infidels"....that muslim who was injured in the blast may well turn out to be of the the perps. Got to wait and watch.
Apparently, the state govt. knew about the likelyhood of attacks on this temple. However, they decided not to do anything about it for fear of antagonizing their primarily-muslim vote bank.
How did I know that it was Bush's fault?
Everything in the world incl. Islam's debauchery is Bush's fault!! /dripping sarcasm
Yep. I know one thing for sure. It's going to take something that is too horrific to comprehend to change the thinking and actions of radical Islamists. They are not going to change because of our military, or because of world opinion. And they sure aren't going to change if we are nice to them. It's going to take the fear of God put into them, whether from atomic bombs or overwhelming military defeat without mercy.
Norwegians...
Jeff
...now there's the REAL voice of islam! I'm saving the link. If ever I run across another apologist on FR, I'll pin his ears back with it.
India should expel the Muslim barbarians. I doubt they are loyal to India anyway. They are like a cancer within India.
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