India cinema blasts kill one, 49 injured
Bombs exploded inside two cinemas showing a controversial Hindi-language film in the Indian capital, killing at least one person and injuring dozens more.
Both cinemas are in the western Karol Bagh neighbourhood of Delhi and yesterday’s explosions occurred 15 minutes apart, said junior home minister Sriprakash Jaiswal.
At the time of the explosions, both cinemas were showing the movie “Jo Bole So Nihal” – or “Anyone who calls out to God will be blessed” – a Hindi-language film that has been condemned by Sikh religious leaders for denigrating their faith by depicting a Sikh character being chased by scantily clad women.
Police declined to comment on whether any Sikh group was suspected of involvement in the blasts.
Authorities began evacuating cinemas in other parts of the city after the blasts and security forces in the capital were put on high alert. The two cinemas were cordoned off by police and firefighters.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called an emergency meeting of the Cabinet to assess the situation and security was tightened in the neighbouring Sikh-populated state of Punjab.
At least 43 people were injured in the first blast at the Liberty Cinema around 8.30pm, according to a list posted by police outside the building. One of the injured died later at a hospital, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
The explosive in the first blast was planted under a seat in the front rows, Chief Fire Officer R C Sharma said.
About 15 minutes later, a bomb went off in the bathroom of the nearby Satyam Cinema, wounding at least seven people, Sharma said.
The film was released more than a week ago, but it was pulled from most cinemas shortly afterwards in northern India after Sikh groups demanded a ban on it. They were angered by its title and scenes depicting a Sikh character being chased by scantily clad women.
The highest decision-making body of the Sikh religion said the title misused a popular term only spoken in Sikh temples or on the battlefield by Sikh warriors.
