Blast in Varanasi, India, Kills One, Injures 20
One child was killed and at least 20 people were injured in a blast at the Dashahwamedh Ghat a little after a ritual called Ganga aarti, attended by Hindu people and foreigners alike, in which praises are being given to the goddess Ganga, personification of the River Ganges, which springs from the Himalayan Mountains.
The blast occurred at 6:30 p.m local time on Tuesday, and was followed by a stampede which caused others to be injured.
According to the officials an improvised explosive device was recovered from the blast place in Varanasi.
Ganga aarti is a daily ritual attended by 2,000 to 3,000 people, and stretches across Shitla, Dashashwamedh and Prayag ghats, located near the famous Vishwanath temple.
According to eyewitnesses, the blast occurred on the steps of Dashashwamedh ghat and was so intense that it threw boulders on the stairs meters away.
Even so, officials say it was a medium intensity blast, but many cities were placed under high alert as a result of it.
Officials said that the crowd itself must have been the target of this blast and announced that the injured people were taken to various hospitals.
The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has demanded the Home Ministry for a detailed report on what happened in Varanasi.
He also appealed to people to maintain calm and peace after the blast.
