UPDATE Delhi Explosion in Mosque
Meerut on Fire, Karachi Burns

Update April 14: New Delhi:

Several people were injured in twin blasts that rocked Jama Masjid in Delhi's old quarters around 5.30 pm on Friday, eyewitnesses and police said.

A Red Alert has been sounded in the national Capital following the explosions on Good Friday.

While no casualties have been reported, TV reports said that five injured people had been rushed to the Lok Narayan Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital.

The first explosion took place at around 5 pm when devotees were preparing for 'Asar' (evening) prayer near a pond used by them for ablution.

Fifteen minutes later another blast rocked the place, eye witnesses said.

According to Syed Ahmed Bukhari, there were two blasts that occurred just as Friday prayers had concluded.

"I appeal to both Hindus and Muslims to remain calm and not to get provoked. We are angry but we are keeping our anger under control," he said.

According to him, there were about 1,000 people in the mosque at the time of the blast. The blasts occurred hours after four blasts in Srinagar left four people dead and injured 15. (news courtesy Hindustan Times)

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Two tragedies within a space of a day struck the neighbouring countries. They are different, but politicians are the great levellers. Chowk merely presents here excerpts and information culled from reports. No viewpoint is sought to be expressed.

India

April 10: Meerut: A fire sparked by an electrical short-circuit on Monday evening engulfed three huge marquees hosting the five-day Brand India fair at the Victoria Park grounds.

No fire tender was at the spot. Meerut Fire Safety officials said they were never contacted for clearance. Tenders took almost 30 minutes to arrive.

Amidst conflicting claims about how many had died in Monday’s blaze, the authorities have confirmed 36 deaths and put the number of injured at 118. But some officials had earlier put the death toll as high as 50-60. Exagerrated reports even quote a figure of 700.

As of now: Mobs on rampage. Allegations of bulldozers being used to fudge figures of dead bodies. Many reportedly missing. Judicial probe demanded.

Political talk: Expressing concern over the alleged worsening of law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi on Thursday said the fire incident in Meerut could be the handiwork of some terrorist outfit. "The information points that it could also be the handiwork of some terrorist outfit. This aspect should also be probed," he said.

Pakistan

April 11: Karachi: On Eid-e-Milad, 57 people were killed and hundreds injured in a bomb blast at a park where thousands of worshippers from a Sunni Muslim organisation, Jamaat-e-Ahle Sunnat, had gathered for prayers.

The entire leadership of the Jamaat-e-Ahle-Sunnat including Maulana Abbas Qadri, Haji Hanif Billo and Hafiz Muhammad Taqi, was believed to have been "wiped out" in the attack.

As of now: An enquiry committee has been set up. Investigations have confirmed it was a suicide bombing; two skulls, perhaps of the suicide attackers have been found.

Political talk: Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said, “Investigators are trying to see if there is any foreign involvement in the incident.”

The chief of Pakistan’s multi-party religious alliance, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), has alleged India’s involvement in the Karachi blast while flaying President Pervez Musharraf for conspiring to make New Delhi a power in Asia.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed, who also leads the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami, said: "Whether it is India or the US, there is a foreign hand involved in the incident (Karachi blast). We know who wants problems and confrontation in Pakistan."

The MMA leader contended that peace in South Asia was linked to the resolution of the Kashmir issue. "I think talks without settling the Kashmir issue are meaningless and just a waste of time. We have held talks before with India and have always regretted the results," he said.