A series of three bomb blasts within five minutes near a crowded mosque in India's western Maharashtra state has left at least 37 people dead and 100 wounded.
Authorities have rushed paramilitary forces to the town of Malegaon, where the blasts occurred, and imposed a curfew.
Police say two of the bombs were tied to bicycles near a burial ground where thousands of Muslims had gathered for Friday prayers. The third explosion took place at a town square.
Friday also marked a festival known as "Shab-e-Barat," or the "night of forgiveness or atonement," when Muslims pray for the dead.
There have been no claims of responsibility for the attacks.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had warned earlier this week of intelligence reports that India might face more terrorist attacks, possibly on economic and religious targets as well as on nuclear facilities.
In other developments in India on Friday, police say they seized 600 rockets meant for Maoist rebels in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. The rebels say they are fighting for the rights of India's poor and landless farmers.
As a reaction to this blast in Maharashtra , the security of West Bengal, including Kolkata has been tightened and an appeal has been made to keep up communal peace and harmony. Our Kolkata stringer Paramashish Ghosh Roy has more to say :
