MUMBAI, (Reuters):

A series of bomb blasts in a Muslim-majority town in western India killed at least 32 people and wounded more than 70, mostly worshippers yesterday at Friday prayers, police said.

The blasts came days after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said intelligence agencies had warned of more terrorist attacks across the country, possibly on economic and religious targets as well as on nuclear installations.

The bombs hit Malegaon town in the western state of Maharashtra as thousands of Muslims gathered at a burial ground for special Friday prayers, police said.

"I was finishing my Friday prayers when I heard the explosions ... there was chaos everywhere. I saw three or four bodies and blood all over. People were running all over," Shafiq, a man who gave only one name, told NDTV news network.

"Whoever did this is a traitor, whether he is a Hindu or Muslim, and should be hanged in this town square," he said.

Burial ground

There were two explosions at the burial ground and a third in a town square around 1:50 p.m. (0820 GMT), according to reports from the town, 260km (160 miles) northeast of Mumbai, India's financial hub.

"Bomb explosions took place in the graveyard which was very crowded at that time," Junior Home Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal told reporters.

Maharashtra police told Reuters 32 people were killed and more than 70 wounded. But the Press Trust of India news agency quoted the state's deputy chief minister, R.R. Patil, as saying 37 were dead and more than 100 wounded.

Although there were no leads reported about the attackers, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said it was apparently the work of "terrorists".