20 killed in bomb blast in Pakistan
Karachi: At least 20 people were killed and 48 others injured on Friday in a suicide bombing apparently targeting the Shiite Hazara ethnic minority community at a crowded fruit market in Pakistan's Quetta city.
The blast at around 7:35 am was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) that had been hidden among the vegetables in the market, police said.
"So far 20 people have been confirmed dead," provincial Home Minister Ziaullah Langove said.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Razzaq Cheema said that Shiite Hazara ethnic community was the apparent target of the bombing.
"The victims include from Hazara and other ethnic groups like Pashtuns," he said.
At least eight of those killed in the bomb blast at Hazarganji area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, belonged to the Hazara community. The security forces fear the death toll may rise, GEO News reported.
Forty eight others were injured and were undergoing treatment. Four FC personnel were also among the injured, the official added. Buildings located nearby were also damaged in the blast, police said. Security forces have cordoned off the site of the blast.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the blast in Hazarganji and sought a report on the incident.
Hazaras make up a significant minority group in Pakistan and most of them live in Quetta.
Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is Pakistan's largest and poorest province, rife with ethnic, sectarian and separatist insurgencies.
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Hindutva leader Manju Kola stabbed during ‘compromise meeting’ at Malpe; Five arrested
Udupi: Manju Kola, husband of former Udupi City Municipal Council Vice-President Lakshmi Manjunath and a Hindutva organisation leader, was stabbed during a meeting held to settle a dispute related to a love affair at Malpe on Tuesday night.
Police have arrested five accused in connection with the case.
According to information available, Manju Kola had reportedly called for a compromise meeting near Malpe beach in the Palimaru area on Tuesday evening to resolve an issue involving a couple. During the discussion, a heated argument broke out and a youth allegedly stabbed Manju Kola.
He sustained injuries to his abdomen and collapsed. He was immediately shifted to a private hospital in Udupi for treatment.
Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar said that five accused have been arrested in the case. As per preliminary investigation, the incident appears to have occurred due to personal reasons. He clarified that there is no communal angle to the incident and urged the public not to spread rumours.
The injured Manju Kola is out of danger and his condition is stable, the SP said.
