Gaya blast handiwork of Bangladeshi terror outfit: Indian intelligence
January 29, 2018 Tenzin Dharpo Phayul.com
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 29: Indian intelligence authorities have suggested that a banned Bangladeshi terror outfit is behind the recent bomb threat in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, where a low intensity blast took place, while two live bombs were recovered near the Mahabodhi temple vicinity on Jan. 19.
Intelligence sources cited by Indian daily Times of India suggested the involvement of Bangladesh-based terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). The act of terror, Indian intelligence agency said, indicated the aim to kill Buddhist monks and foreigners present in Bodh Gaya to listen to the sermons of Tibetan leader and Buddhist spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
TOI’s source said that "a series of calls were made to some locations in West Bengal from Bodh Gaya just before and after planting the three IEDs. Calls were made to locations known to Indian security agencies as covert bases of JMB operating in WB for the past several years."
JMB is said to have backing of Pakistan's ISI and has active cadres in West Bengal (WB) and Assam. The same terror outfit was responsible for the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka in July 2016, where 24 people died.
Indian media has also reported that five suspects who appeared to be of Nepalese origin were arrested and their photographs which were obtained from CCTV footage were provided to the state and the central agencies.
On Jan. 19, two 7kg ammonium nitrate crude bomb were found near the gate no. 4 of the main temple and the adjacent road leading to a Tibetan monastery by the local police after a low intensity blast took place around the same area.
Indian intelligence agencies such as the national investigating agency (NIA) and the state police's anti-terrorism squad are probing the case further.
The Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has completed his stay in Bodh Gaya and is currently in Delhi where he will undergo routine medical check up.