India on alert as bomb toll rises to 49

AHMEDABAD, India, July 27 (UPI) -- Indian leaders placed the country on high alert Sunday as the death toll in the Asian country's latest bombings rose to at least 49.

An additional 114 people were injured in the series of 17 synchronized bombings Saturday in Ahmedabad, the main commercial center in the state of Gujarat, CNN reported.

The U.S. broadcaster said the city's streets were calm Sunday as fearful residents stayed indoors.

Bombs in Bangalore, the IT center that also is in Gujarat, killed nine people Friday.

An e-mail sent to television stations five minutes before the Saturday bombings said "We are back," The Times of India reported. A group using the name Indian Mujahideen described the bombings as revenge for the anti-Muslim riots of 2002 in Ahmedabad, which took 1,000 lives.

Indian President Pratibha Patil posted a statement on her Web site that "expressed her heart-felt condolences for the loss of life and urged the people of Ahmedabad to remain steadfast in this testing time and maintain peace and harmony."

Narendra Modi, chief minister of Gujarat and a leader in the Hindu nationalist BJP, said the terrorists would be brought to justice. Modi has been blamed for failing to protect Muslims during the 2002 riots.

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