Mosque bombing kills 13 amid riots

A bomb ripped through a historic south India mosque as Friday prayers ended, sparking riots that left 13 people dead and 35 wounded after a day of violence and raising fears of Hindu-Muslim clashes in Hyderabad, a city long plagued by spasms of inter-religious bloodletting.

Minutes after the blast at the 17th-century Mecca Masjid, worshippers – angered by what they said was a lack of police protection – began chanting “God is great!”

Some hurled stones at police, who dispersed them with baton charges and tear gas.

While the situation at the mosque was quickly brought under control, angry Muslims clashed with security forces in at least three separate instances in Hyderabad, said Mohammed Abdul Basit, the police chief in Andhra Pradesh state, where Hyderabad is located.

Police fired live ammunition and tear gas to quell the riots and at least two people were killed in these clashes, Basit said.

Authorities across India were told to be alert for any signs of Hindu-Muslim fighting, and top officials called for calm.