KARACHI, May 31: At least 18 worshippers were killed and over 35 injured on Monday in what police said was an apparent suicide bombing at an Imambargah off M.A. Jinnah Road near Numaish intersection.

A couple of hours later, some unidentified people fired indiscriminately on blood donors, standing at the Hussaini Blood Bank in Soldier Bazaar killing two people. Witnesses, however, claimed that Rangers had opened fire at the group of people who had gathered there to donate blood. There was no official word from Rangers on the incident.

The incidents triggered violence across the city in which several vehicles were torched and property damaged. Police used teargas shells and fired in the air to bring the situation under control. The violence continued till late night.

Police said the Imambargah Ali Raza blast appeared to be a case of suicide bombing as human limbs were found at the site of the blast. DIG Investigation Fayyaz Leghari said: "Although it has not yet been established, it could be a suicide bombing as the manner in which the explosion took place was similar to that of the Hyderi mosque blast of May 7."

He said that investigators were not able to examine Imambargah Ali Raza because a law and order situation developed at and around the place soon after the blast. A visit to the spot showed that the blast had ripped through the Imambargah structure leaving many dead and injured.

The intensity of the blast was so severe that the tomb of the mosque developed cracks. The wall on one side of the Imambargah collapsed. The interior of the Imambargah was littered with blood and pieces of flesh. Wooden fixtures were destroyed and blades of fans were moulded.

A large number of people were trapped under the debris. After the blast, people gathered at the Imambargah to remove the bodies and rescue the injured. Soon after the explosion, electric supply to the area was switched off by the KESC and the entire area plunged into darkness. Rescue workers faced severe hardships in locating the injured and the dead.

Later, fire-tenders reached the place with floodlights which accelerated the rescue work. The dead and injured were taken to the Civil Hospital, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and Liaquat National Hospital.

When a bomb disposal squad reached the place it was fired upon by angry people who forced the personnel to leave their van. Later, the vehicle was set on fire. Violence soon spread to other parts of the city.

Civil Hospital sources said that five bodies were brought to the hospital. A sixth body brought to the hospital was in pieces, they added. JPMC sources said that four bodies were lying at the hospital while officials at the LNH reported receiving six bodies.

The bodies were later taken away by relatives. The identity of the dead could not be ascertained till late night. Doctors were of the opinion that most of the injured suffered 30 to 50 per cent burn injuries.

In the suicide bombing at the Hyderi mosque on May 7, on the premises of the Sindh Madressatul Islam, 14 people died and 96 others were injured. The death toll later rose to 23. City Nazim Naimatullah Khan termed the explosion a conspiracy to destabilise the peace in the city and the country.