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Relatives throng Delhi hospitals in search of loved ones

     New Delhi: Curious and harrowed relatives thronged hospitals in New Delhi on Sunday to get information on their loved and near ones after three powerful bomb blasts on Saturday evening killed around 60 people and injured 110, many of them critically. Hospital officials said most of the injured had received severe burn injuries. "In the Sarojini Nagar market blast, 43 people have died, and the bodies are in mortuaries. Till now 78 are injured," said Ravindra Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police. Doctors and paramedics in hospitals have been working overtime to treat the injured. The hospitals have also listed the names of those who died and those who were receiving treatment. But many grieving relatives, who lost their family members, were inconsolable. "My daughter-in-law is seriously injured, my 18-year-old grandson has died and my son is missing. What will I tell my small granddaughter when she asks for her parents...my whole family has been wiped off," said Usha Verma.

    Thousands are still to find their loved ones and have been running to hospitals and morgues across the city. "My daughter-in-law went to the Sarojini Nagar market for shopping. She said she would be back by 5.30 pm, but till now she hasn't returned. We have been to all the hospitals, even checked the mortuary, but have not been able to find her," said Sarita Kaushal, a relative. Sunday papers carrying graphic photos of the victims, "Death comes shopping to Delhi", only made the tragedy worse, as the horrific site pictures sapped out whatever little hope, relatives had, of finding the survivors. "My niece had gone to the market...till now we have only been able to find her identification card from the site of the blast and nothing else. We are not able to identify the bodies, they are charred beyond recognition," said Raj Sharma. The blasts struck two markets and a bus as dusk fell across the Capital of 14 million people on Saturday, a time when bazaars were packed with people shopping for special sweets and last minute presents for the coming Diwali festival.