25 now feared dead in India blast

At least 25 people are now feared dead in the bomb blasts at Mumbai in India.

There were at least two explosions - one near the Gateway of India, a famous Bombay landmark and tourist attraction, and another near the Pydhonie police station – also in the south of the city.

A receptionist at the Taj Mahal Hotel, which faces the Gateway, said windows were blown out at the hotel and cars in the car park were damaged.

The explosions came on the same day as the release of a long-anticipated archaeological report on a religious site claimed by both Hindus and Muslims in the northern Indian town of Ayodhya.

That dispute has been blamed for previous explosions in Bombay.

In March, a bomb attack on a Bombay train, which police blamed on Islamic militants, killed 11 people and wounded 64 others.

That explosion came a day after the 10th anniversary of a series of bombings in Bombay – also blamed on Islamic militants – which killed more than 250 people and injured 1,000.

Police say the bombings were in retaliation for the 1992 destruction by Hindus mobs of the 16th century Ayodhya mosque, and to avenge Muslim deaths in riots that followed.

Some Hindus claim the mosque was built centuries ago on the ruins of a Hindu temple that marked the birthplace of their supreme god, Rama.

The report, issued by the government archaeological agency, indicated there had been some sort of ancient structure at the site, lawyers for both sides said, though they disagreed on whether it said there had actually been a temple.

The report has not been released to the public or the media.