Life limped back to normal in Parbhani on Sunday after the bombing of a mosque on Friday broke a spell of nearly four decades of peace in this small town in Aurangabad.The cramped bylanes bustled with small groups of residents, still discussing the recent events in hushed voices. The balconies and roofs were occupied too.The town, where Friday’s bombing of a mosque broke the communal harmony since 1967, is still struggling to get over the shock. On that afternoon, a few motorcycle-borne miscreants had slipped past the Mohammedi ‘Masjid’ located in the predominantly Muslim-dominated colony of Rehmat Nagar and threw a few bombs inside.Devotees were jolted from their prayers; several sustained severe injuries and had to be rushed to a city hospital nearby. Sunday, however, passed without any major untoward incident. Curfew was imposed only for a few hours in the day.Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal was the first dignitary to reach the troubled town today and he immediately set off to visit the Mohammedi Mosque where he stopped for around 10 minutes as as curious onlookers flocked around.He also made rounds of the city market, where many of the shops had been set on fire by irate mobs and then, met the top police brass and prominent community and political leaders.Bhujbal later told the media that those who attacked the mosque would not be spared. ‘‘The offence of throwing bombs in the mosque comes under the purview of POTA. When arrested, these offenders will be tried under POTA,’’ said the Deputy CM.Bhujbal did not comment on the suspect terrorist groups but instructed state DGP S.M. Shangari to probe the alleged delay in sending additional reinforcements to the troubled spots on Saturday.Bhujbal’s visit was followed up by that of BJP leader Gopinath Munde.Local police officials said bombs used in Friday’s attack were ‘‘crude, and of the pipe-bombs variety’’. Doctors, treating the injured said they had found ‘‘metal pieces and traces of sulphur’’ in the eyes of the victims.
