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Blast kill

4 in In dia

NEW DELHI: An explosion ripped through a crowded market place in the remote northeastern Indian state of Manipur on Thursday, killing at least four people and seriously injuring six, the Press Trust of India (PTI) said.

The news agency quoted officials as saying they suspected extremists had planted the bomb. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast so far.

The explosion, which occurred at about 12:30 p.m. (0700 GMT), set ablaze drums of petroleum in the high-security Imphal market complex, PTI said. Imphal is the state capital.

The United News of India said at least 15 people were injured in the explosion.

The heavily wooded state of Manipur, which borders Burma, has in recent years been torn by seccessionist violence and savage intertribal warfare. Ten people were feared drowned on Thursday after their boat capsized in the Krishna river in southern India, the Press Trust of India (PTI) said.

The news agency quoted a police spokesman as saying the boat, which was carrying a marriage party, overturned in Kurnool district in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

PTI did not say how many passengers were in the boat.-Reuter