Malegaon: 

Deadly: The bomb in Modasa, Gujarat, killed a teenager

At least five persons were killed and 80 injured yesterday, as terrorists set off bomb blasts in the communally-sensitive town of Malegaon in Maharashtra and Modasa town in Gujarat's Banaskantha district.

In Malegoan

Curfew was imposed in the eastern part of the communally-sensitive powerloom town after the blast and stone-pelting by a mob.

Four persons perished and more than 70 were injured when the bomb went off at a hotel near a mosque at the busy Bhikhu Chowk area.

Following the blast, the mob pelted stones at the police. The jeep of the sub-divisional magistrate was also damaged in the stone-pelting, police said. Police also fired in the air to disperse the crowd.

Five cops, including Addditional SP Viresh Prabhu were, among the injured in the stone-pelting by the irate mob, police said.

Saying that maintaining the peace was priority right now, the police in Malegaon have now called in the paramilitary forces.

In Modasa

Meanwhile, in Modasa, a 15-year-old was killed and 10 others injured when an explosive device fitted to a motorcycle went off, Banaskantha district SP R B Brahmbatt said.

"Our primary investigation shows that two guys had kept a bag on a parked motorcycle which exploded," said District Collector N Narsan.

The Union Home Ministry has been closely monitoring the situation in Modasa and has kept in touch with the Gujarat government and the police, a Home Ministry spokesperson said. The Ministry appealed to the people to maintain calm and guard against rumor.

The police in both areas say they have no leads so far.

AIIMS presents victims of Mehrauli blast before media

In a strange move, AIIMS yesterday presented six victims of the Mehrauli blast, who are still undergoing treatment, before the media. Writhing in pain, the victims described their experiences during the Saturday blast, which killed one and left 27 injured.

Vinod Khattar, who doctors feel will bever be able to listen normally, was most vocal. "I saw two bike borne youths, one wearing a black shirt dropping a packet. Santosh (the boy who was killed) picked it up and yelled out to them saying they had dropped something. Suddenly, there was a spark in the packet and smoke started coming out," he said. Khattar, whose shop bore the maximum impact of the blast, said, "I was sure its a bomb and hid behind the counter."

When asked why were the victims presented before the media in such a state, the doctors attributed it to "constant queries from the press".