Mecca Masjid Blast : Centre reviews security situation

New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta reviewed the security situation in the wake of the bomb explosion at the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad during Friday prayers earlier in the day.

During the hour-long meeting, they discussed the steps to be taken to ensure that the communal violence that erupted in some parts of Andhra Pradesh does not spill over to other parts of the country.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil talked to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y Rajasekhara Reddy, who was in the capital city, and pledged all support of the Centre in tackling the situation.

The Home Ministry has alerted all the state governments to be vigilant about the anti-social elements seeking to use the Mecca Masjid incident to whip up communal passion and create disturbances to upset peace and harmony.

A spokesman of the Home Ministry said there was no information about who could be behind the Mecca Masjid blast. "However, we suspect terrorist angle." The Centre had rushed a strong contingent of Rapid Action Force (RAF) to assist the Andhra Pradesh Government in dealing with the situation.

"We have stationed a strong contingent at the disposal of the state government," he said, adding that "more RAF personnel will be sent to Andhra Pradesh, if necessary, as they are well trained to deal with communal violence." The spokesman said the Centre would send a forensic team to assist the state police in examining the nature of the blast.

Mr Madhukar Gupta spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary immediately after the blast and reviewed the situation in the state.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs is in constant touch with the Andhra government," the spokesman said.

UNI