NEW DELHI, Oct 27: Five people were killed and 66 injured by a string of crude bomb blasts near and around the venue of a political rally addressed in Patna by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, and officials said it was not clear if the explosions had been triggered by terrorists or were part of a “political conspiracy”.

Mr Modi, who addressed the rally a few minutes after the attacks, refrained from blaming his bête noire, the Muslims, whose vote he is now wooing with the support of a clutch of Muslim clerics. In Fact, he exhorted poor Muslims and poor Hindus to jointly fight poverty.

The federal Home Ministry sought a report from the Bihar government on the explosions and has sent teams of National Investigation Agency (NIA) and National Security Guard (NSG) to the state.

“I can’t say whether it was a terror attack or political conspiracy. Only after the investigation, we will be able to tell anything,” Federal Minister of State for Home R. P. N. Singh said.

Mr Modi later said he was saddened by the blasts. “Blasts in Patna are deeply saddening and unfortunate. Condolences with families of deceased and prayers with injured. I appeal for peace and calm,” the Gujarat chief minister said in a tweet.

Deoband cleric Mehmood Madani who is also a senior leader of a faction of the Jamiatul Ulema-e-Hind, has all but extended support to Mr Modi, claiming more Muslims were jailed and killed in riots under Congress party rule in Maharashtra and Rajasthan than in Mr Modi’s Gujarat. Shia cleric Kalbe Sadiq said in Lucknow if Mr Modi apologised for the 2002 mass murder of Muslims in Gujarat, Muslims would support him in the prime ministerial race. It does not follow that all Muslims or their leaders agree with the Modi-backers.

Expressing surprise over the ‘coincidence’ of bomb blasts and Mr Modi’s rally in Patna, Congress called for a thorough probe into the issue, noting that it could, otherwise create a “perfect setting for Mr Modi’s launch in Bihar”.

“Another blast in Patna! Strongly condemn this. Nitish should find the culprit otherwise a perfect setting for Modi’s launch in Bihar!” Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh tweeted.

In another post he said: “What a coincidence, blast at Patna Railway station on the day of Modi’s rally! Challenge to Nitish (Kumar) government to find the culprit!”

Hours before the multiple explosions, a crude bomb went off in a newly constructed toilet at the Patna railway station, two km from the BJP’s rally venue.

Five people died from blast injuries and 66 others were being treated for these injuries, according to Vimal Karak, Deputy Superintendent of Patna Medical College Hospital.

Five low-intensity blasts occurred on the outer periphery of the Gandhi Maidan, Federal Home Secretary Anil Goswami told PTI in Delhi. One bomb went off before a cinema hall on the western side of the rally venue, police said. Tens of thousands of people had gathered at the rally venue.

Immediately after the explosion at the railway station, bomb disposal swept the area and recovered two more crude bombs, Railway Superintendent of Police Upendra Kumar Sinha said.

One security personnel was injured while defusing a bomb recovered from the toilet, he said.

People were seen rushing the injured to the hospital as the explosions sparked panic.

At the rally, plumes of smoke billowed from a couple of sites even as BJP leaders, including Mr Modi, addressed the crowd.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the blasts and appealed for calm. He spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and asked him to speedily probe the blasts and ensure that perpetrators are punished.

“The prime minister has condemned the blasts in Patna and called for urgent steps to identify and take action against those responsible,” a PMO statement said.

Four persons have been detained from different areas of Patna and are being questioned by police, according to Patna SSP Manu Maharaj.