2010-07-02 09:09

LAHORE, Pakistan - At least 37 people were killed and 175 others injured in three suicide bomb attacks which took place at a shrine in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore late Thursday night.

Three blasts went off at the shrine Data Darbar in Lahore, where many local people were exercising religious activities inside. One blast took place inside the shrine while another went off in front of the main gate of the shrine and the third was in the court yard, local police said.

Following the blasts, large crowds of angry people, including families of the victims, gathered outside the shrine, protesting against the terrorist attack.

Police tried to disperse the crowds by heavy aerial fire and tear gas and demonstrators hurled stones at the police in retaliation, said witnesses, adding that at least four policemen were injured during the clash.

The injured people have been sent to several hospitals which are calling on local residents to donate blood for the injured because of a serious shortage of blood supply. Emergency has been declared in all hospitals and high alert was also declared across the city.

Death toll could further rise as at least 20 of the injured people are said to be in critical conditions.

Police have cordoned off the area and started a search operation in which a handgrenade was found nearby a washroom inside the shrine and the head of a suicide bombers was also found on the spot.

Police said that the three suicide bombers were in their early 20s and each of them carried a suicide bomb jacket each containing about ten kilograms of explosives.

One of the suicide bombers was said to be only 17 years old. Further details about the identities of the three suicide bombers, who killed themselves right on the spot, are not known at this stage.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani issued a statement early Friday morning, strongly condemning the terrorist attack.

The prime minister said in the statement that his government is determined to eradicate terrorism in the country.  

Thursday's terrorist attack is the second most serious incident in the city of Lahore following a May 28 terrorist attack on two mosques in the city, in which over 90 people were killed and more than 100 others injured.