Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday arrived in Hyderabad to take stock of the situation in the city after the deadly explosions which left 16 people dead and scores injured.
Tight security arrangements were made ahead of his visit to the blast-hit Dilsukhnagar area after authorities received intelligence about possible terror attacks. Singh reached Begumpet airport in a special flight around 11 am. From there he was flown by an IAF chopper to Victoria Memorial School ground in Saroornagar.
Singh went by road to the blast site in Dilsukhanagar, where Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Governor E.S. L. Narasimhan received him. He is expected to meet the surviving victims who are being treated into two hospitals located in the vicinity. Around 117 people were injured in the twin blasts which ripped through the bustling commercial area on Thursday evening.
Condemning the "dastardly" act, Singh had earlier assured that those found responsible would not escape punishment. He announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh to the kin of the each deceased and ₹50,000 to each injured victim.
Meanwhile, the ongoing investigation into the blasts has gained momentum as authorities claimed to have received "vital clues" from the CCTV camera that was installed near the blast site. The camera footage showed a man with a bag going to one of the blast sites on bicycle a few minutes before the bombs were set off.
"We have already gathered vital clues in the case. We are confident we will crack the case soon," Andhra Pradesh Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy said on Saturday, PTI reported.
Authorities have zeroed in on three men from a terror outfit as prime suspects. No group was named but initial investigation suggests the hand of Indian Mujahideen in the blasts. Forensic reports confirmed that the explosives used in the blasts had the presence of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive ingredient generally used by extremists in carrying out terror activities.
"Use of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil as the primary explosive, as in Mumbai and Pune, and the modus operandi of IM operatives masquerading as students cannot be ignored," said a senior IPS officer, PTI reported.
