Dozens Die In Blast At Indian Marketplace

A powerful explosion ripped through a crowded marketplace Tuesday, killing as many as 25 people and injuring up to 50, police said.

The blast appeared to have been caused by a car bomb, and two Kashmiri separatist groups jointly claimed responsibility, said Press Trust of India, a national news agency.

The groups - the Jammu-Kashmir Islamic Front and Lashkar-e-Sajjad - said the attack was aimed at forcing India’s new government to cancel elections scheduled for Thursday and May 30 in war-torn Jammu-Kashmir.

The ballot would be the first in Jammu-Kashmir, the only Muslim majority state in mostly Hindu India, since militant groups began fighting for independence in 1989. Rebel groups have urged Kashmiris to boycott the election.