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India On High Alert After Bombings

A series of coordinated bombings rocked a packed railway station and crowded temple in Hinduism`s holiest city, Varanasi, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens. Located 450 miles east of Delhi, Varanasi is Hinduism`s holiest city and ordinarily is filled with pilgrims visiting temples related to the pantheon of gods of the Hindu religion and bathing in the holy waters of the Ganges River, which runs through the city.

Police inspector Madan Mohan Pande says the blast at the Sankat Mochan temple went off near dusk, when the shrine was crowded with Hindus making special offerings to the monkey-god Hanuman.

According to Sanjaya Baru, spokesman for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the prime minister appealed for calm as cities across India were put on high alert. Alok Sinha, a senior state official, says at least 10 people died in what appeared to be two bombings at Varanasi`s train station, and five others were killed in another blast at the temple on the banks of the holy Ganges River.