Wednesday, March 8 2006 13:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Explosives hidden inside a pressure cooker and a timer device were used to trigger blast in Sankatmochan temple in Varanasi, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said here today(Mar 8,2006).

Patil, who visited Varanasi along with Congress President Sonia Gandhi late last night, said that the Centre was providing all assistance to the state government in maintaining peace in the temple town.

"I have been informed that the explosive was kept in a pressure cooker which had Ammonium Nitrate and a timer device," he told reporters here after flagging off a BSF expedition to Mount Everest.

"The casualty at the temple was less and more lives were lost at the cantonment railway station," he said.

At least 20 people were killed and over 50 injured in the blasts at the Sankatmochan temple and Cantonment Railway station yesterday.

"The Centre as well as the state government will try to nab those responsible for yesterday's blasts as soon as possible and ensure that they are punished," he said.

"There is no need to fight each other or indulge in a blame game. We have to be united in our fight," said Patil.

The state government and the police are doing their best to keep the situation under control, he said adding that the Centre is providing all assistance to them.

Patil praised the people of Varanasi for facing the situation courageously and for maintaining peace and calm.

Patil, who visited the blast sites along with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and met the injured in Varanasi hospitals, said, "The temple was targeted understandably to cause communal tension in the country".

He said, "All of us have to ensure that such acts of terror by some desperate anti-national elements do not disturb peace, public order and communal harmony in the country and would not be allowed to undermine our determination to combat, control and contain violence."

He said as per initial information received from the UP Government, two blasts took place yesterday evening in Varanasi, one at Sankat Mochan temple and the other at the Cantt. Railway Station.