Ancient Indian city hit by bombings

At least 60 people killed in tourist hotspot after series of explosions

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SIX bombs ripped through crowded parts of an ancient city in western India yesterday, killing at least 60 people and wounding 150 others.

The bombs went off near historic monuments and in markets in the city of Jaipur in Rajasthan, a region dotted with palaces and temples that draw hundreds of thousands of Indian and foreign tourists every year. A seventh bomb was defused before it exploded, said A.S. Gill, the state’s police chief.

“Obviously, it’s a terrorist plot,” he said. “The way it has been done, the attempt was to cause the maximum damage to human life.”

He added bicycles may have been used in the bombings. But he did not say if the explosives were detonated by suicide bombers riding through the crowds or if the bombs had simply been planted on parked bicycles.

Shortly after the bombings, which began just before 7.30pm local time, authorities put New Delhi and Mumbai on alert, along with other cities. Security was stepped up at airports and railway stations across the country.

One of the blasts in Jaipur hit a market near a temple dedicated to Hindu god Hanuman. Tuesday is the day of worship for Hanuman and the temple was packed with worshippers. Another blast took place near the Johari Bazaar, the city’s jewellery market, and a popular destination for tourists. There were no immediate indications foreigners had been caught in the explosions.

A spate of bombings has plagued India since 2005. Last year, two explosions killed 43 people in Hyderabad, seven bombings along Mumbai’s commuter rail network killed nearly 200 people in July 2006, and three New Delhi markets were bombed in October 2005, killing 62. Indian officials have not yet blamed Pakistan-based militants for yesterday’s attack.