The New Nation - Internet Edition

BBC Online

Seven bombs have hit the southern Indian city of Bangalore in a span of 15 minutes, police say.

One woman was killed and several people injured. Police say bombs were detonated with timing devices.

The blasts have been described as low intensity and all are reported to have occurred in crowded areas.

Bangalore is the information technology hub of India with more than 40% of the country's IT and software industry based there.

Malls, schools and cinema halls across Bangalore have been shut and police have cordoned off the blast sites.

"We are conducting the investigation. Bomb squads have reached the scene. We appeal to the citizens to carry on their normal activities without any fear," Bangalore city police commissioner Shankar Bidri said.

Bidri said each of the explosions were of a similar magnitude to one or two grenades.

Police said a woman died in the explosion at Madiwala area.

Other blasts were in the areas of Nayanadhalli, Adugudi, Rajaram Circle, Anepallya and Ashok Nagar.

The injured have been taken to Bangalore's St John's hospital.

A large part of India's IT and outsourcing business is concentrated in Bangalore.

Dozens of large international firms like Microsoft, Intel and IBM also have offices in the city, which is often called the Silicon Valley of India.

There have been a number of blasts in Indian cities in recent years.

They are almost always blamed on foreign militants but there have been no significant arrests or convictions in any of the cases.