At least 19 people were injured when bombs exploded Sunday in two cinema halls in New Delhi that were screening the controversial film Jo Bole So Nihal, police said.

Ambulances, fire brigade personnel and policemen rushed to the Liberty theater at Karol Bagh and Satyam multiplex in nearby PatelNagar. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals.

"At least 13 people were injured in the blast that occurred in the lower stall of the Liberty hall. They were taken to hospitals," said R.C. Sharma, Delhi's chief fire officer.

The blast at Satyam occurred in a toilet, injuring six people, police officials said.

Earlier TV reports said that seven people were killed in the blasts, but police officials said they had not received any report of death.

The blast in Liberty cinema occurred at 8.30 PM, just after the show's interval. The row where it occurred was unoccupied as the tickets for it had not been sold.

Sikh organizations had called for a ban on Jo Bole So Nihal, saying it depicted the community in a poor light.

Delhi authorities have sounded a general alert in all cinema halls of the capital.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal said that Delhi has been placed on high alert.

(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2005)