New Delhi: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev cut short his India visit and left for home tonight, 12 hours before his scheduled departure, in view of the death of the head of the Orthodox Church back home.

Medvedev, who arrived here last evening, was scheduled to leave at 10.30 am tomorrow but he changed the programme and left at around 11.00 pm after the news of the death of Russian patriarch Alexy-II reached him.

Alexy-II was instrumental in the spiritual revival of Russia after decades of religious suppression by the officially atheist Communist regime.

The President held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and met Vice President Hamid Ansari, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Source : PTI