12 MINS. 8 BLASTS. 60 DEAD

Eight bomb blasts triggered by terrorists over just 12 minutes on Wednesday night killed at least 60 people in the heart of Jaipur and injured 200.

The explosions, the first terror strikes in the Pink City, occurred in markets usually teeming with people and near the Hanuman Mandir in the walled city.

The bombings took place as India marked the 10th anniversary of nuclear tests conducted on May 13 in Rajasthan, but it was unclear if there was any link.

"According to the information I have received, 60 people have died and 150 have been injured," said Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje.

The Bangladesh-based Harkut-ulJehadi Islami (HuJI) is suspected to be behind the blasts, home ministry sources said.

The sources had earlier ruled out the use of RDX in the carefully orchestrated low-intensity explosions, which were believed to have been set off from cycles in areas frequented by tourists, including near the historic Hawa Mahal. But minister of state for home Sriprakash Jaiswal, saying that the government felt there was a "foreign hand" behind the blasts, added later that the use of RDX was also suspected.

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