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The Statesman

Publication Date : 25-02-2013

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday visited the blast sites and hospitals where the injured are being treated to express “solidarity” with the people of the city and appealed for peace and calm.

He lauded the people of the city for refusing to be provoked by the “nefarious” act.

Singh visited the twin blast sites and Omni and Yashoda Hospitals where he met some of the injured and their families, assuring them of all help.

“I have come to share the grief of the people of Hyderabad. I express condolence for the families of the bereaved and wish speedy recovery for the injured,” Singh said after meeting the blast victims at the hospitals. “The state government has assured all help will be given for treatment,” Singh, who flew in from Delhi by a special IAF plane, said.

Making an appeal for peace, he said, “I call upon the people to maintain calm in this hour of grief. I am happy that the people of Hyderabad have refused to be provoked by this nefarious incident.” Singh had yesterday condemned the blasts, saying those responsible for the act would not go unpunished.

Consoling the mother of one of the injured, K Parmeshwar, Singh said all possible care will be provided to her son, the Prime Minister's Office tweeted. He assured another blast victim, Sudhakar Reddy, that “we will provide all possible medical help to you and others”. Talking to Rajitha, undergoing treatment at Yashoda hospital at Malakpet, Singh said, “I am here to share your pain and grief. We will take care of you.”

Before leaving for Delhi, the prime minister told Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to find a mechanism to provide jobs to those grievously hurt and disabled in the blasts.

Singh was received this morning at Begumpet airport by governor ESL Narasimham, the chief minister and his Cabinet colleagues. From the airport, he, along with the governor and the chief minister, flew by a helicopter to Victoria Memorial Home.

From there, he went by road  to Dilsukhnagar where the two bombs had exploded within a span of a few minutes on Thursday, killing 16 people and leaving 117 injured. He was at the blast area for about 10 minutes and spent nearly 40 minutes with the injured.

Singh also held a review meeting with the chief minister and others.