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Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 23, 2005

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Blasts in Delhi cinemas: one killed, 60 hurt

Sandeep Joshi

Attempt to disparage Sikh image: SGPC

NEW DELHI: Explosions triggered by crude devices rocked two cinema halls here on Sunday evening during the screening of the controversial Hindi film, `Jo Bole So Nihal,' leaving one person dead and at least 60 injured.

Following the blasts, a red alert was sounded in the capital. While the first explosion occurred at Liberty Cinema on the busy G. T. Karnal Road around 8.15 p.m., the second one went off at Satyam Cinema in Patel Nagar 20 minutes later. One of those injured died at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital later, while the condition of 10 others was reported to be serious.

Stampede

In the first incident at Liberty Cinema, the explosive device was reportedly planted under a seat in the sixth row. The explosion, which ripped apart the seats and parts of the false ceiling, also touched off a stampede with people running helter-skelter in panic. Some of the injured were immediately rushed to a nearby private nursing home, while others were taken to the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, the Hindu Rao, the Lohia and the Lady Hardinge Hospitals.

The second bomb went off in the toilet of Satyam Cinema, injuring at least 10 persons and triggering off a commotion in the cinema hall. Most of the injured were rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.

Soon after the explosions, there was chaos outside both cinema halls as the police cordoned off the area to carry out search operations. Relatives of those who had come to watch the movie frantically searched for their near and dear ones as no information was forthcoming. Some were in tears as they rushed from one hospital to the other in search of their family members and relatives.

Among the first to visit Liberty Cinema were the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, B.L. Joshi, the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, and the Delhi Police Commissioner, K.K. Paul. Ms. Dikshit expressed serious concern over the law and order situation in the capital. The Lieutenant-Governor ordered an inquiry into the blasts. Later, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil visited the Lohia Hospital and enquired about the condition of the victims.

Security tightened

Taking to presspersons outside Liberty Cinema, Mr. Paul said both the explosives were of a crude nature and did not contain any splinters. He said security has been beefed up. Investigations into the twin blasts were handed over to the Special Cell of the Delhi Police.

Soon after the blasts, all the cinema halls in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida and Gurgaon, where the controversial movie was being screened, were evacuated and the night shows cancelled. The film was withdrawn from all cinema halls across Punjab last week following a ban call given by the highest religious body of the Sikhs — the All India Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.

Blasts condemned

UNI, PTI report:

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) condemned the blasts, calling them an attempt to disparage the Sikh image. "These are dastardly, inhuman acts. We condemn them strongly,'' the SGPC general secretary, Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, said.

Alert in Mumbai theatres

Meanwhile, security at Mumbai's cinema theatres exhibiting the movie has been tightened. Special police have been posted at more than a dozen theatres in the metropolis.

The Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Javed Ahmed, said that while extra staff had been posted at such theatres on Sunday, security measures would be tightened further from Monday.

Police have been deployed at cinema halls in Pune also.

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