Death toll rises to 45, Army on march in city

HEARING THEM OUT: Chief Minister Narendra Modi consoles a blast victim at LG hospital in Ahmedabad.

    

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Ahmedabad: The death toll in the serial bombings that hit Ahmedabad on Saturday rose to 45 on Sunday, with at least eight people succumbing to their injuries.

As many as 105 people have been injured and 20 among them are critical. The Army conducted a flag march in the old parts of Ahmedabad to instill a sense of security among residents.

The police defused a bomb on Sunday morning at Hatkeshwar in Maninagar, Chief Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, which suffered six explosions Saturday. A bomb was also defused Saturday night on Sarangpur Road. Both bombs were left at vegetable markets.

The police have questioned 30 people in connection with the blasts but haven’t arrested anyone so far. The police in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, raided an apartment on the Palm Beach Road and seized a computer, which was reportedly used by an organization called the Indian Mujahideen to send e-mails to TV channels warning that it was about to bomb Ahmedabad.

The flat had been rented out to an American five months ago. The American claims that his Internet account and IP address were hacked a few days ago.

The synchronised low-intensity explosions struck the eastern and western parts of Ahmedabad within a span of 70 minutes. The first blast hit Narola Circle in Maninagar—the constituency of Chief Minister Narendra Modi—at 1830 hrs IST.

Saturday was the second day straight of serial bombings in India after eight bombs went off in quick succession Friday afternoon in Bangalore, India's IT hub, leaving a woman dead and half a dozen people injured.

In comparison, the Ahmedabad bombs were more lethal and in a space of just 36 minutes exploded in 16 different locations, including a hospital, killing at least 39 men, women and children and injuring around 100 people.

Most of the injured were in two hospitals of Ahmedabad: the Vadilal Sarabhai Hospital and the Civil Hospital, the city's biggest that also witnessed twin bombings. Doctors said 15-20 people were in critical condition.

Chief Minister Modi urged the people to maintain calm. In New Delhi, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said: "This is the time when we should not allow anybody to make use of these blasts to create more terror and more difficulties for the people."

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Abhay Chaudsma said several units had been set up to probe the bombings. He said prima facie it appeared that ammonium nitrate had been used to make the bombs in Ahmedabad.

Asked if the highly lethal RDX could have also been used, he said the police would await a report from forensic experts. "But gas cylinders were used (in the hospital), that is for sure."

The state government has announced an ex gratia of Rs.500,000 for families of the dead and Rs 50,000 to the injured. The central government has chipped in with Rs.100,000 for the dead plus Rs.50,000 to the injured.

The shadowy terrorists struck with military precision. Chief Minister Modi's constituency came in for special attention, suffering a maximum of six blasts.

Gujarat is on high alert. Security forces have stepped up patrolling in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Rajkot. The Ahmedabad railway station has been sealed off and train services have been cancelled.

Elsewhere in the state, the Somnath temple in Junagadh has been cordoned off. Prominent temples in Ahmedabad have been provided extra security.

The first of the blasts Saturday took place in Maninagar, where deafening multiple explosions took place and were heard miles away.

Bombs exploded at the Hatkeshwar vegetable market, Thakkarbapanagar, at the Sardar Patel diamond market in Bapunagar, Sarangpur bridge in the old city, Isanpur, at Narol circle on the outskirts, and near Sangam theatre in Sarkhej area.

The Sangam cinema explosion took place in a moving bus but luckily its CNG tank did not explode.

Among the other blasts, one was in Muslim-dominated Juhapura area and another in Khadia area. One explosion took place near Galaxy cinema at Naroda. Like in Bangalore the previous day, the bombings quickly jammed the mobile telephone network.

The Union Home Ministry held an emergency meeting to discuss the blasts on Sunday morning. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to visit Ahmedabad on Monday.