QUETTA, Sept 19: At least six people were killed and 14 others injured in an explosion in a seminary near Kuchlak on Friday.

“Three students were killed on the spot and three other people died in hospital,” DIG, Operations, Wazir Khan Nasar, told Dawn.

According to police sources, the explosion took place in the main hall of Madressah Mohammadia.

Policemen quoted some witnesses as saying that some motorbike riders had hurled a bomb into the seminary. However, some students said two men carrying a bag had entered the seminary before the explosion. The hall and two adjoining rooms were destroyed.

“The destruction in the seminary shows that high explosives were used and the device was placed in the hall,” the DIG said.

He said police were investigating the incident keeping all aspects in mind. He said the destruction at such a scale could not have been caused by a hand grenade.

Police officials ruled out a suicide attack, citing the condition of the bodies and the injured.

Police sources said most of the wounded had suffered burn injuries. “Limb of the victims were blown up to 300 yards away,” said a source.

The head of the seminary, Maulana Shah Waliullah, was in the seminary but in a room which was not affected by the blast.

The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital where five of them were in critical condition.

The sources said police had registered a case and taken some people into custody for questioning. Five of the deceased were identified as Syed Gul Agha, Abdul Ali, Nasarullah, Jumma Khan and Aftab Shah.