Modi meets kin of Patna serial explosions (Roundup)

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Saturday said he met the families of those killed in Sunday's Patna serial blasts, to share "their pain and agony".

"I visited and met the families of the people killed in the serial blasts to share their pain and agony," Modi told mediapersons 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.

Ainul alias Tarique, a suspect in the seventh bomb explosion at the railway station died Friday at a hospital here due to his injuries.

Most of those killed and injured were activists or supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Modi said innocent people were killed. 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 in future he will try to meet them.

He also tweeted about his meetings. "Back from Bihar. Visited families of those deceased in Patna blasts and spoke on phone with families I could not visit due to weather," he said in a tweet.

Modi first met the family of Rajnarain Singh.

"Met family of Raj Narain Singh in Gaurichak. Proud to know that his two sons are serving in the Army!" Modi said on twitter. After meeting Singh's kin at Kamarji village near Gaurichak in Patna district, Modi left for Kaimur district to meet the family of another blast victim Vikash Kumar Singh alias Guddu, police officials said.

"In Kaimur, met the wife and children of Vikas Singh and offered my deepest condolences to the family," he said in another tweet. 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.

"Spoke to wife of Munna Srivastava on phone. We are all a part of one family and stand by them in this hour of grief. Spoke to Shankar, son of Bharat Rajak over telephone. People from his village shared a very touching anecdote," Modi said in a tweet.

"Bharat Rajak had a pet pigeon who would stay next to his bed. Bharat would not begin his day without feeding grain to the pigeon. Pigeon too refused to leave dead body of Bharat and travelled with the body till the funeral. Even now the pigeon stays around Bharat's room," Modi tweeted.

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 was among those who accompanied Modi.

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

The BJP had Friday attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the blasts, saying he did not have time to visit the families of the victims.