Bomb found in Malegaon, panic in town

 Authorities cordoned off the area around the shopping complex near the Mohammedia Madrasa Centre and mosque, and summoned a National Security Guard (NSG) bomb squad to defuse the device that was inside an unclaimed red box found in a staircase.

 A large contingent of the Rapid Action Force was deployed in the vicinity. Police and religious leaders made announcements on the public address system, calling for calm as people ran in fear out of the shopping complex.

 Police said the law and order situation in the town is under control but the "anxiety level" among people had gone up. The RAF had been deployed to address these fears, they said.

 Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officials said an explosive device had been found but the nature of the bomb would be known only after the NSG experts dismantled it.

 Police kept people away from the shopping complex while the media too were advised to stay out. Residents were asked to switch off cellphones to rule out the possibility of remote detonation of any explosive device.

 The box with the bomb was taken to a nearby school ground where the experts worked to defuse the device.

 Thirty-one people were killed and nearly 300 injured in four blasts outside a mosque, a graveyard and at the Mushaira Chowk on Friday.

Update at 1452 hrs:
The entire area around the Mohammadia Shopping Centre in Malegaon has been cordoned off this afternoon following information that a bomb has been planted inside the building.

Fire brigade personnel have been stationed outside the centre, and the bomb squad was searching the premises located at Kidwai Road.

The shopping centre is near the Bada Kabristan where four blasts killed 38 people on September 8.

The crowd around the place has been dispersed by the police, and media has also been kept away from the building.

Anti-Terrorist Squad officials including S Jaiswal along with IG P K Jain and Malegaon Superintendent of Police Rajwardhan have reached the spot.