Prayer meeting in UK for Indian blast victims

Residents of Leicester, a town in East Midlands, Europe, organised a prayer meet in memory of the people killed in the recent serial blasts in India.

Leicester, which contains a large majority of Gujarat origin Indians held condolences to the victims of the blasts, that killed over 52 and injured 183 in Ahmedabad and Bangalore.

Marcus Solanki, a member of the Gujarat Christian group in Leicester said, "It was terrifying to hear of the attacks when I have many in–laws in the city. I called them and they are okay, but one of the bombs went off at a hospital where both my cousin and aunt work. I thank God. None of my family members were hurt, but I pray for those who injured in the incidents."

The pair of attacks put the country on alert Sunday and security was stepped up at markets, airports and hospitals across the country.

Most of the blasts took place in the narrow lanes of the older part of Ahmadabad, which is tightly packed with homes and small businesses.

Abdul Karim Gheewala, general secretary of the Indian Muslim Association, condemned the attacks and said, "The perpetrators are worse than animals, devoid of conscience and human and religious values. Also, we express our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the innocent people killed and injured in the bomb blasts."

The Church of North India (CNI) synod in its statement last week condemned the "dastardly" act of terror and demanded that united action from the ruling and opposition parties both at the centre and the state be taken in dealing with terrorism.

“The political parties should stop the blame game and come together keeping aside their differences to find a solution to the terror menace let loose by some outfits in the name of religion in the country”, said The Rev. Dr. Enos Das Pradhan, General Secretary, CNI.

A group called the "Indian Mujahideen" said it carried out the Ahmedabad attack, writing in an e–mail sent five minutes before the first blast that it was in revenge for a 2002 massacre in Gujarat of around 2,500 people, mainly Muslims, by Hindu mobs.