PM, Sonia meet blast survivors in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Monday visited a hospital here and met some of the survivors of the serial bombings that left at least 50 killed and 200 injured.

They were greeted by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at the Sardar Patel International Airport and briefed on the security situation in the aftermath of the blasts.

Manmohan Singh and Gandhi visited the Civil Hospital, the state's biggest hospital where a majority of the injured were being treated, and met some of the injured.

The Trauma Centre of the hospital was also hit by a blast as terrorists targeted those helping people injured in previous blasts.

After spending only a few minutes at the Trauma Centre, the leaders went to the B-4 ward of the hospital and met survivors recuperating there.

They were slated to visit the LG Hospital and the VS Hospital, where most of the other injured were admitted, as well as some blast sites.

The city was ripped apart by 21 coordinated bombings Saturday evening, which claimed at least 50 lives and injured about 200 people.

Manmohan Singh and Gandhi were accompanied Patil, central Textiles Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela, state Education Minister Ramanlal Vora, state Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala, state Congress chief Siddharth Patel and opposition leader Shaktisinh Gohil.