Condolences for blast victims pour in

Political parties on Thursday night condemned the twin bomb blasts in Hyderabad with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserting that those responsible for the "dastardly" act would not go unpunished. "This is a dastardly attack, the guilty will not go unpunished," he said.        

Condemned the attacks, Vice President Hamid Ansari conveyed his condolences to the families of the innocent victims who lost their lives. Both Singh and Ansari appealed to the public to remain calm and maintain peace in this difficult hour. Singh announced Rs 2 lakh each to next of kin of those killed in the blasts and Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured from the PM's Relief Fund. He directed the central agencies to extend all possible help to the Andhra Pradesh state authorities in relief operations.        

Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed her sorrow and anguish on the blasts in Hyderabad.        

BJP president Rajnath Singh condoled the loss of lives and demanded a thorough probe into the blasts. "I express my condolences to the family members of those killed in the blast. This is a condemnable incident. I hope the government will take appropriate action to provide immediate and adequate relief to those injured in the blast," Singh told PTI.