Uttar Pradesh tense day after Gorakhpur blasts

By IANS

Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh was on edge Wednesday with security alerts sounded in communally sensitive towns across the state, a day after three low intensity blasts ripped through Gorakhpur town.


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While police officials, including police chief G.L. Sharma, rushed to Gorakhpur, communally sensitive towns like Varanasi, Mathura and Ayodhya were put on alert.

All three are home to disputed religious structures – the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, the Krishnajanmabhoomi temple in Mathura and the site of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya.

Security forces were also on guard in other trouble spots like Meerut, Moradabad and Kanpur.

Tension levels exacerbated early morning with some unidentified liquid in a 10 litre can and powder in four pouches of two-and-a-half kg each being found in an air bag outside the Faizabad railway station reservation counter.

Expressing concern, police officials said it could be some explosive, probably ammonium nitrate.

Nobody has been arrested yet for the Gorakhpur blasts. Police chief Sharma said they had some clues but refused to divulge any further details.

At least six people were injured in the three blasts in the heart of Gorakhpur town Tuesday evening.

"Three blasts occurred in quick succession within 15 minutes in Golghar area of the town around 7 p.m." Principal Home Secretary K. Chandramauli told IANS here.

The bombs were kept inside lunchboxes planted on bicycles, abandoned at three different places – near a petrol pump, a restaurant and outside some shops.

Chandramauli said: "It could be the handiwork of mischief mongers intending to incite religious violence in the communally sensitive town.

"We are not taking any chances, and the local administration has been advised to take all necessary steps to contain panic among people," he added.

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