Grenade explosion kills five in Indian temple

CHENNAI, India — At least five people were killed and 35 injured when a grenade exploded Aug. 16 at a Hare Krishna temple in northeast India during services to honor the birth of Lord Krishna, the human incarnation of the deity Vishnu. At least some of the injured were foreigners, although their identities were not immediately available. No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion.

A Reuters report quoted an intelligence official saying that unidentified people had warned International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) officials not to hold any functions Aug. 16, when the country was celebrating Janmashtami, a major Hindu festival. The official said the grenade attack might have been carried out by a local group as part of a campaign to revive indigenous Hindu practices and discourage new religious movements like ISKCON.