Three deafening blasts rocked crowded shopping centers in the Indian capital Saturday, three days ahead of the Diwali festival, killing at least 40 people and injuring over 50, police said.

The first blast was reported at around 5:40 p.m. local time from the crowded Paharganj area, one of the most congested areas in central Delhi close to the New Delhi Railway Station.

The other explosion occurred soon after in Sarojini Nagar, another busy shopping area in south Delhi, popular among the middle class and even foreigners. Thirty-seven bodies were confirmed in a hospital near Sarojini Nagar.

Soon after there were reports of similar blasts from a few other areas, including Govindpuri, also a teeming market, in south Delhi.

Police immediately ordered all shopping centers in the capital to shut and appealed to the people to go back home, throwing a damper on the celebratory mood ahead of the grand festival of lights.

"I appeal to the people to please go back to their families immediately. They will feel secure when they see their relatives,"Home Minister Shivraj Patil said.

Indian Home Secretary V.K. Duggal said the government was monitoring the situation as a red alert was sounded in the capital.

"An alert had been sounded in all states, including Delhi, for possible terrorist attacks during the festive season," Duggal added.

Police and fire brigade personnel immediately rushed to the blast spots for relief and rescue operations. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Traffic gridlocks caused by holiday shoppers added to the woes of rescue workers.

The blast sites resembled a war zone with shell-shocked survivors finding their way through broken glass and collapsed masonry.

Source: Xinhua