Lahore blasts: Suicide bombers kill 15 people outside churches, 80 injured

IN PICTURES | Twin blasts in Lahore

The attacks later triggered mob violence in which two suspected militants were lynched and then set ablaze, resulting in their deaths.

The usual Sunday mass was underway at the churches when the two suicide bombers reached there and tried to break-in.

“When the guards stopped them from entering the churches, they blew themselves up (at the gates),” Christian leader of the locality Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra said. He said a large number of Christians were present inside the churches at the time of the twin attacks.

“Today the whole Christian community in Pakistan is devastated and is begging the government to provide it security,” Sahotra said.

The attacks were claimed by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. The same group had claimed the responsibility of a suicide attack on the Wagah border in September last year in which 60 people were killed.

“Fifteen people, including a boy and a girl and two policemen guarding the churches, have been killed and more than 80 wounded in the attack,” Director General Health Zahid Pervaiz told reporters outside the Lahore General Hospital.

He said the death toll could rise as some injured were critically wounded.

Tahir Bhatti, an eyewitness said, “I was present in the service in the Catholic Church when I fell on the ground with the sound of a powerful blast. When I regained consciousness after a while, I rushed outside where I found several people lying in a pool of blood and limbs were scattered all around.”

Punjab government spokesman Zaeem Qadri said, “Five policemen were deployed outside the two churches. Two of them lost their lives while the other three are in a critical condition. Their sacrifice has saved the lives of a number of people.”

Soon after the incident, a violent mob lynched two suspected militants. After beating them severely, the mob tied them with a rope and set them on fire. Their charred remains were later found at the site.

3 policemen taken hostage by mob for watching cricket match instead of standing guard http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d #Lahore blasts

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

A weapon has been found at the site of the #Lahore church attack http://t.co/6T0YK29054 pic.twitter.com/K2sekC66an

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

At least 10 dead in attack on #Lahore churches http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

Police have resorted to aerial firing to disperse the enraged mob http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d #Lahore blasts

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

At least six dead, 50 wounded in Lahore church blasts http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

Death toll of Lahore church attack reaches 5 http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

TTP Jamatul Ahrar claims attack on Lahore churches http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

Body of the man who was lynched by enraged mob set on fire http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d #Lahore

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

Policeman among those killed in the #Lahore church blasts http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

Two suspects arrested from near Lahore’s blast sites http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

Young child among 3 killed in twin blasts http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

Mob beats young Lahore blasts ‘suspect’ to death http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

Enraged crowd beats up an unknown person near church blast site http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015

Condition of several wounded reported as critical in #Lahore blasts http://t.co/LxLqfsLy7d

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 15, 2015