40 killed, 65 injured in Malegaon twin blasts; curfew imposed

MALEGAON: Terror struck Muslim-dominated Malegaon on Friday as the community observed Shab-e-Baraat, one of the holiest days in the Islamic calendar.

Almost two months after the serial blasts of July 11, three blasts in the communally sensitive town killed at least 40 people and injured 65. (Eyewitnesses said there were four blasts.) But officials said 36 were killed and 11 critically injured.

The first bomb went off around 1:55pm outside the Bada Kabristan, killing a few. Witnesses said another took place just inside the graveyard gate, but police were unable to verify that. The second took place some distance away from a nearby mosque. The third bomb went off at Mushawarat Chowk. The explosives had been rigged to bicycles.

The area near the burial ground was crowded with people who had gathered to offer prayers seeking peace for their dead on Shab-e-Baraat. Many were making their way to the mosque to offer mid-day prayers. Many children were injured in the stampedes that followed.

Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil announced Rs1 lakh as aid to the relatives of those killed and Rs50,000 to those seriously injured.

Angry people burnt two police vehicles, but there was not much violence otherwise. People were seen carrying the injured to hospitals.

Malegaon has long been seen as a communally sensitive place, with a history of violence going back to 1962.  In October 2001, the town erupted in protest against the US attacks on Afghanistan, killing 12 people. Riots also took place in the town in 1984. In May this year, police recovered a huge cache of arms and explosives from Malegaon.