Indonesia blast: Jakarta mosque explosions during Friday prayers leave 54 injured, mostly students
PTC Web Desk: At least 54 persons, most of them students, were injured after multiple explosions shook a mosque during Friday prayers at a high school in Jakarta, Indonesia, police officials said.
The incident occurred around midday at the mosque of SMA 27, a state-run school located within a navy compound in the Kelapa Gading area of northern Jakarta. Witnesses reported hearing two loud blasts just as the sermon began, causing panic as gray smoke filled the mosque. Students and worshippers rushed out in fear.
According to Jakarta police chief Asep Edi Suheri, most victims sustained injuries ranging from minor cuts to severe wounds caused by shattered glass. While many were treated and discharged from nearby hospitals, about 20 students remain hospitalised, three of them in serious condition.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the explosions. The police chief said the blasts appeared to have originated near the mosque’s loudspeaker. An anti-bomb squad deployed at the site discovered toy rifles and a toy gun in the area.
“The police are still investigating the scene to determine the cause of the blasts,” Suheri stated, urging the public not to speculate until the investigation concludes.
“Let the authorities work first,” he added. “We will inform the public once we have confirmed results.”
- With inputs from agencies
