Centre condemns UP serial blasts

New Delhi, Nov 23: The Centre today condemned serial bomb blasts in three cities of Uttar Pradesh, in which three people were killed and over 45 injured, and said that it was aimed at fomenting communal strife in the country.

Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal told reporters here that the blasts were the handiwork of terrorists who wanted to divide the country on communal lines. He urged the people to remain united and not allow the nefarious designs of terrorists to be successful.

The serial blasts had rocked district courts in Lucknow, Faizabad and Varanasi following which the Uttar Pradesh Government has declared a high alert.

While scores of people were injured in Varanasi and Lucknow, at least two lawyers were feared killed in Faizabad. ''The casualty figure is likely to go up,'' said a police official.

Report from Faizabad said that two powerful blasts occurred inside the district court permises.

In Varanasi, the blast occurred at the district court permises but there was no official confirmation on whether anyone had died in the explosion. However, about a dozen people were injured in the incident. At the time of the blast in Varanasi, BJP MLA Ajay Rai was present in the courst premises in connection with a case.

UNI