Magesterial probe into bomb blast, foreign hand involved?

Hyderabad, May 19 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh government today ordered a magisterial enquiry into the police firing to control a mob in the old city area which went on a rampage following a bomb blast at the historic Mecca Masjid even as the death toll in the two incidents went up to 16.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy visited the site of the blast and announced that they were ready to order a CBI enquiry 'if necessary'.

The authorities, meanwhile, ordered a magisterial enquiry into the police firing, which also claimed five lives.

Meanwhile, the toll rose to 16 with four more people succumbing to their injuries in hospital today, Dr Reddy said.

Of the 16, 11 were killed in the bomb blast while five died in police firing. 56 people were injured, he added.

Addressing the press after visitng the mosque, Mr Patil said they had information on which terrorist group was involved in the blast. ''After completing the investigation, the names of the terrorist organisations would be disclosed,'' he said.

Later the Union Minister reviewed the situation in detail with state Home Minister K Jana Reddy and the police officials concerned for an hour at the Secretariat, he said.

The state police have confirmed that the 'foreign terrorist groups' were involved in the attack on Masjid, with suspicion on the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)'s role in creating tension in the city.

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