7 injured in blast at mosque in southwest Pakistan
Karachi, Nov 21: A powerful blast at a mosque in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan province's Chaman area on Wednesday injured at least seven people, including the prayer leader, according to police.
The blast occurred at the time of evening prayers in the mosque, which is located on Taj Road in Chaman, bordering Afghanistan.
At least seven people, including the mosque's prayer leader, have been injured as a result of the blast, which rocked the entire neighbourhood, Dawn reported.
The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital where a state of emergency has been declared.
A video shared on Twitter appears to show the damage caused by the explosion in the mosque.
Authorities have cordoned off the site of the explosion.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast so far.
Chaman is considered a sensitive town in Balochistan as it shares a border with Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar province.
Security was tightened on Wednesday across the country to avert any tragedy on the occasion of the Eid Milad-un Nabi, marking the birth anniversary of the Prophet.
Mobile phone services were shut down in major cities to prevent terror attacks during the celebrations, in the wake of a suicide attack in neighbouring Afghanistan on Tuesday that killed over 50 people, mostly clerics.
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Dalit officer alleges harassment by senior officials in Civil Rights Enforcement Directorate
Bengaluru: An Inspector of the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE) has alleged that Dalit officers are facing harassment from senior officials within the department that is meant to handle cases of atrocities against SC/ST communities.
Inspector T.R. Srinivas has made the allegations in a letter addressed to DCRE Director General of Police Umesh Kumar, which he has also shared with the media. He has also released a video reiterating the claims.
In the video, Srinivas has named DCRE SP Karibasangouda and DySP Maheshwaragouda, alleging that he was pressured to act in favour of upper-caste accused in certain cases. He further claimed that false complaints were accepted against him and he was harassed in the name of inquiry.
Srinivas also alleged that he was not officially relieved from duty in DCRE, but that SP Karibasangouda and DySP Maheshwaragouda created “fake documents” showing that he had been relieved, which he said was in violation of an order of the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT).
He said he had served for 20 years without any adverse remarks, but is now being targeted. “Working for Dalits and serving in the police department itself seems to have become a mistake,” he said, adding that Dalit officers are not receiving protection in the state.
He also alleged lack of transparency in the department and claimed that decisions are being dominated by upper-caste officials. In the video, he appealed to the government to intervene and prevent any untoward incident, warning that if the situation continues, responsibility would lie with the Chief Minister, Home Minister and the DGP.
Srinivas had been transferred from the DCRE last month, but had obtained a stay on the transfer from the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal.
Meanwhile, DCRE SP Karibasangouda has denied the allegations made by Srinivas.
