Muslim organisations condemned the blast at the historic Mecca Mosque in Hyderabad on Friday, saying the incident was meant to disrupt communal harmony and appealed to the people to maintain calm.

Strongly condemning the blast, general secretary of Jamaat-Islami-Hind, Nusrat Ali, condoled the death of people in the mosque and expressed his deep grief over the injury caused to several other people.

'The selection of the time of Friday prayers to target innocent people indicates a nefarious design to disrupt the communal harmony, which does not augur well for the country', he said in a statement.

Ali demanded a thorough probe of the incident to unearth the truth and identify the people behind the blast.

He appealed to the masses to maintain communal peace and harmony.

General secretary of the Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, Mahmood Madain condemned the blast, calling it a 'ghastly act of violence'.

Madain said the blast has once again proved that anti-social elements have spread their tentacles throughout the length and breadth of the country as a result of lenient action against them.

Expressing concern over the incident, he said if the state administration fails to take timely and prompt action, it may result in further loss of life and property.

He appealed to all citizens to maintain peace and harmony.