Bomb hoax scare at Sai Baba temple creates panic; temple evacuated

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) Hundreds of devotees were evacuated at the famous Sai Baba Temple in the Lodhi Colony area of south Delhi this afternoon following a bomb scare.

Being a Thursday, hundreds of devotees had gathered at the temple for a weekly 'darshan' when the rumour of a bomb having been planted on the premises spread.

Panic soon gripped the devotees, forcing the police to cordon off the area and launch search operations.

Security forces surrounded the temple and evacuated it and a coordinated search was mounted from all ends, said a senior police official.

''However, nothing was found after more than two hours of intensive search.'' Police later called of the search, and said they were trying to trace the caller.

A devotee Ritu Bhan told UNI that traffic on both sides of the temple had been diverted when she reached there at about 1700 hrs.

''The temple had been covered with a red cloth and no one was allowed to go close to the premises. I missed my darshan today but I offered my prayers from outside and came back.'' The bomb scare comes two days after Jaipur serial blasts in which more than 60 people were killed and scores others wounded.

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