The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Ahmedabad

India's prime minister was to visit the bomb-hit city of Ahmedabad on Monday, as the entire country was on a high state of alert amid reports of more threats by a shadowy Islamist group.

Bombs ripped through 16 crowded places on Saturday-including markets, buses and hospitals struggling to treat the victims-killing at least 49 people in the commercial hub of western Gujarat state. About 160 people were injured in the attacks, police said.

Police on Monday were questioning several people but no arrests had been made, a senior official involved in the investigation told AFP. "Presently there are no arrests," said police official Ashish Bhatia. "Some interrogations are going on-the figure must be around 10 or so." Forensic reports confirmed the bombs were made from ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, Bhatia said. Many of the victims were peppered with red-hot nuts, bolts and ball bearings that were packed into the bombs, which were clearly designed to cause maximum casualties.

The police official added that the situation was now "totally normal" in the city-the scene of major Hindu-Muslim riots six years ago-ahead of the visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi.

The army, which was deployed after the attacks to avert any fresh religious riots, were taken off the streets Monday as life began to return to normal.

"It's been quiet for two days so my mother said it's all right to go to school," said 15-year-old Athar Kothawala as he walked to school.

A little-known group calling itself the "Indian Mujahedeen" claimed responsibility for the Ahmedabad bombs in an email sent minutes before the explosions began and also warned of repeat attacks elsewhere in India.