Mumbai: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on August 26 said Pakistan should handover to India 20 wanted criminals who were responsible for the serial blasts in Mumbai in 1993.

Advani, who arrived in Mumbai to visit the blast sites and the hospitals where the injured were being treated, told reporters at the airport "it is good that Pakistan has condemned the incident.

"But the people of Mumbai remember that those who perpetrated a bigger tragedy a decade back claiming over 250 lives and were wanted by the Interpol and the courts, besides being declared as absconders, were enjoying the patronage of Pakistan. They must be handed over to India," he said.

Advani said "this raises doubts about the credibility of Islamabad's condemnation of yesterday's (August 25) incidents".

The Deputy Prime Minister, who held talks with Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Chaggan Bhujbal and senior police officials at the airport, said he hoped the state government would be able to arrest the culprits and make suitable arrangements for the future.

Hinting that Pakistanis were involved in terrorist activities in Mumbai, he said the fact that the bodies of two recently killed Laskar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants have not been claimed shows this.

On the casualty figure in August 25 blasts, Advani said 52 people were killed and 167 were injured.

PTI