12 hurt in blast near BJP'S office in India: Police

BANGALORE: Police in the southern city of Bangalore said Wednesday they were investigating a minor blast outside the office of a political party that injured 12 people.

The explosion is thought to have occurred on a motorbike parked near the office of the Bharatiya Janata Party, a national opposition party that holds power in the local state of Karnataka.

"Preliminarily, we felt earlier that it was a (gas) cylinder blast as two vehicles that were on both sides of the motorbike got burnt," Bangalore police commissioner R Auradakar told reporters.

"As the motorcycle is fully burnt, we feel that it could be a blast."

A total of 12 people were injured, including eight policemen, he said.

Karnataka is to hold elections for its state assembly next month.