<b>Mumbai Blasts:</b> City police search hotels, lodges

Police have searched almost all hotels, lodges and public places throughout the city in connection with the probe into Tuesday's bomb blasts, officials said today.

The searches, which the officials termed as routine, were carried out last night at nearly 250 places, but no one was detained or arrested.

Officials said although searches of this magnitude were being conducted for the first time after the blasts, police stations have also been searching lodges, hotels and public places in their areas virtually every day since Tuesday.

Earlier this week, police conducted raids at Malwani in north Mumbai and Naya Nagar in Mahim of central Mumbai, detaining over 500 people, most of whom were released immediately after verification of their identity.

Meanwhile, a report from Aurangabad said 7 SIMI members were called for interrogation by the Anti-Terrorism Cell of local police.

There were 10 SIMI members in the area when the Centre imposed a ban on the organisation. One of them had since died and another,Amir Shakil, was arrested by police on May 9.

One more SIMI member is missing, police sources said adding the 7 persons were later released.

In Akola, VD Mishra, Special Inspector General of Police, said there were 172 SIMI activists in Amravati region before the ban. However, many of them had already left the organisation, he said.