Over 20 people are confirmed dead at this point and given it is still nighttime there, don’t be surprised if they find more dead people today after sunrise.
The report below offers some summary, but an old total regarding the number of confirmed dead.
Blasts Kill 12 at Railway Station, Temple in Indian Holy City
VARANASI, India ? Explosions rocked a packed railway station and crowded Hindu temple Tuesday in Hinduism’s holiest city, and at least 12 people were killed and dozens injured, officials said.
At least 10 people died in what appeared to be two bombings at Varanasi’s train station, and two others were killed in another blast at the temple on the banks of the holy Ganges River, said Kamlesh Pathak, a senior official in the city.
Authorities were scrambling to determine what caused the blasts, but political leaders suggested it was a bombing with the prime minister condemning the explosions and a top state official promising stern action against those responsible.
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The explosions came days after Muslims and Hindus battled each other in the nearby city of Lucknow, and angry Hindus looted Muslim shops and burned vehicles in the coastal resort of Goa.
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One of Tuesday’s explosions the Sankat Mochan temple near dusk, when the shrine is ordinarily crowded with devout Hindus making a nightly offering to the monkey-god Hanuman, said Madan Mohan Pande, a police inspector in Varanasi.
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Footage from the scene showed bloodied victims being carried into minivan ambulances by police and passersby. One man with a bloodied face was lying on a stretcher.
An older woman lay on the floor, holding up her arms to helpers, who pulled her away. Debris, body parts and blood covered the floor of the temple.
A witness, Nilesh Utpal, said he saw 25 to 30 wounded people being taken away in ambulances.
“There was a big crowd at the temple” when the explosion occurred, he said.
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Two other blasts reportedly shook the city’s railway station ? one inside a train car and the other near the ticket counter in the crowded station’s waiting room.
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Varanasi, 450 miles east of New Delhi, is Hinduism’s holiest city and ordinarily is filled with pilgrims visiting temples and bathing in the holy waters of the Ganges River, which runs through town.
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A friend of mine in India who practices Hinduism says that he’s heard reports of their being 5 bombs. 3 of them inside of the temple. He says all people of his faith go to that temple at some point in their lives. Often multiple times in life and some go annually.
Gateway Pundit cites this report that confirms 21 dead, 62 wounded.
It looks like the riots that occurred last week were started by some Bush haters.
Lucknow shuts over Bush rallies, tensions high
LUCKNOW: Lucknow shut down on Saturday after days of violent protests against US President George W. Bush in which at least four people died and which have raised tensions between Hindus and Muslims.
Shopkeepers went on strike backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, in protest at days of anti-Bush rallies by Muslim groups that closed largely Hindu-owned shops.
On Friday, a protest erupted into a clash between Muslim and Hindus, with both sides using guns and knives. Police opened fire to disperse the riot.
At least four people died of gunshot wounds, but it is not clear who shot them.
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This is probably going to get uglier.
Despite the protests, most people in India are happy about President Bush’s visit. Because it allows them to use more nuclear power in the future. People here in the USA should be happy about the agreement too. Because it will allow US companies to offer services to India, in building up their commercial nuclear power. Also the deal is going to help US retail companies get more of a foothold in India. So in the end, US companies stand to get a large new customer base. Which will raise the stock of those companies and the investment/retirement plans of Americans. Bush’s visit was not about US companies “outsourcing” more to India, but rather making India a customer of US companies.
