Modi meets kin of Patna serial explosions

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Saturday said that he met the families of those who were killed in serial blasts that took place just before he was to address a rally here Sunday to share "their pain and agony".

"I visited and met the families of people killed in serial blasts to share their pain and agony," Modi told media persons here before leaving for Gujarat after ending his two-day visit to Bihar.

Six people were killed and more than 80 injured when half a dozen bombs exploded in Patna Sunday morning, most of them in and around the sprawling Gandhi Maidan where Modi later addressed a huge rally.

Most of those killed and injured were activists or supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Modi said that innocent people were killed in the string of bombings.

He praised the people of Bihar for their patience after the explosions and lauded them for maintaining peace and harmony.

"It is a historic example of patience. I simply bow before them for it," he said.

Modi expressed his helplessness for not visiting the native villages of two of the six victims of serial blasts in Supaul and Gopalganj districts. But he said that in future he will try to meet them.

He spoke to the families of the two blast victims over telephone and consoled them.

Modi first met the family of Rajnarain Singh, one of the six people killed in the serial blasts.

After meeting Singh's kin at Kamarji village near Gaurichak in Patna district, Modi left for Kaimur district to meet family of another blast victim Vikash Kumar Singh alias Guddu, police officials said.

Amid tight security, Modi conveyed his condolences to the kin of Vikash and after that he visited Nalanda, home district of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar where he met the family of another blast victim.

Modi arrived here late Friday and spent his night at the state guest house, which was virtually turned into a fortress.

"Modi's visit to Gaurichak to meet family member of Singh was delayed due to bad weather Saturday morning. The airport authorities cautioned of low visibility for chopper to fly. Later when the weather improved, Modi first visited Gaurichak," a district police official said.

Senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav, who accompanied Modi, said that the Gujarat chief minister also interacted with the family members of blast victims.

Modi also handed over a cheque of Rs.5 lakh to the next of kin of each blast victim.