Manipur ISKCON blast: 5 killed

At least five persons were killed and 50 others, including a foreigner, injured when a powerful bomb exploded in the complex of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness at Imphal on Wednesday evening.

The shrine was crowded with Janmasthami devotees.

The toll might go up because some of those who suffered injuries were in critical condition, sources in the Regional Institute of Medical Science and Hospital said.

The identity of the foreigner was not immediately available. The five victims included a 10-year-old boy and a 70-year-old woman, the sources said.

Several important persons, including the chief priest of the ISKCON, Damodar Das, were among those who were hit by splinters of the bomb, reportedly hurled at the Tulihal airport area in Imphal West district of Manipur.

Wednesday being celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna, there was a huge gathering of people at the ISKCON complex, about 5 km south of Imphal. No individual or organisation has claimed responsibility for the explosions, official sources said.