Indian movie theatres bombed

2005-05-22 19:52

New Delhi - Bombs exploded inside two movie theatres showing a controversial Hindi-language film in the Indian capital on Sunday, injuring at least 20 people, officials said.

Both theatres are located in the Karol Bagh neighbourhood of west Delhi and the explosions occurred 15 minutes apart, said Junior Home Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal.

Authorities began evacuating cinema halls in other parts of the city after the blasts and security forces in the capital were put on high alert. Police and fire fighters cordoned off the two theatres.

At least 13 people were injured in the first blast at the Liberty Cinema about 20:30 (15:00 GMT), chief fire officer RC Sharma said. The explosive was planted under a seat in the front rows, he said. About 15 minutes later, another explosion rocked the nearby Satyam Cinema, wounding at least seven people, Sharma said. At Satyam, the bomb went off inside the washroom.

Television reports, however, showed eyewitnesses saying more than 40 people were injured in the two explosions and that some of them were serious.

At the time of the explosions, both theatres were showing a controversial Hindi-language film that has been condemned by Sikh religious leaders for denigrating their faith. Police declined to comment on whether any Sikh group was suspected of involvement in the blasts.

Days after its release more than a week ago, the film, titled Jo Bole So Nihal, was pulled from most theatres 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.

Founded in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, Sikhism broke away from Hinduism and Islam, the main religions of India. Sikhism rejects idol worship and caste, and has about 20 million followers, most of whom live in India and make up nearly 2 percent of the country's 1.06 billion people.

- AP