Death toll in two Bombay blasts rises to at least 46

Two car bombs killed at least 46 people in the heart of India's financial capital today, one ripping through a congested bullion…

Two car bombs killed at least 46 people in the heart of India's financial capital today, one ripping through a congested bullion market and a second exploding near a popular tourist attraction, police said.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the coordinated bomb attacks which also wounded more than 150 people.

Indian Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani said similar attacks in the past had been carried out by the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), acting alongside the Pakistan-based Kashmiri militant group Lashkar e-Taiba.

Pakistan, accused by India of harbouring Muslim radicals who stage attacks on its territory, condemned the blasts as "acts of terrorism". The attack coincided with a thaw in relations between the nuclear-armed rivals.

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Most deaths were at the bullion market, which is near a Hindu temple. A second bomb exploded near the city's main tourist attraction, the Gateway of India, a huge waterfront archway built by India's British colonial rulers to commemorate the visit by King George V and Queen Mary in 1911.

The State health minister Mr Digvijay Khanvilkar said at least 46 people had been killed and 150 were wounded.

Police said the bombs had been planted in taxis.