About 80 civilians, most of them Muslims, and 35 policemen and Home Guards and an IPS probationer were injured in the blast and subsequent mob violence. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil visited the town on Tuesday along with top state police officials and appealed for peace.

“Over 20,000 people gathered at the spot where the blast took place. We have rushed the State Reserve Police Force to Malegaon,” Patil, who also holds the Home portfolio, told reporters. “At this moment it is difficult to say whether the blast was an accident or a deliberate ploy to create panic,” he said, adding an Anti-Terrorism Squad team has also rushed to the spot.

Javed Attharwala, a shopkeeper who sells traditional perfumes near the blast site, claimed that he had noticed the unidentified bike around 8.30 pm — it exploded at 9.35 pm —- and reported it to the Dargah police post nearby but no action was taken. Police officials were not willing to comment on the claim but Patil said, “If indeed a complaint like this was made and was ignored, then action will be taken against the erring policeman. It is really sad if it was brought to our notice and we did not act upon it.”

Attharwala was badly injured in the explosion and was one of the first to reach the local hospital minutes later. “He was burned from head to toe and had injuries all over his arms and face. He came walking all by himself,” said Dr Sayed Ahmed of Noor Hospital, where 18 patients with burn injuries and trauma were admitted.

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