Dalai Lama believed not targeted in Bodh Gaya explosives incident

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama looking up at the Stupa behind the Bodhi Tree during the prayer session at the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya, Bihar, India on January 17, 2018. (Photo courtesy:  Manuel Bauer/OHHDL)
His Holiness the Dalai Lama looking up at the Stupa behind the Bodhi Tree during the prayer session at the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya, Bihar, India on January 17, 2018. (Photo courtesy: Manuel Bauer/OHHDL)

(TibetanReview.net, Jan23, 2018) – The Dalai Lama was not the target and as yet unknown terror groups were likely involved in planting the three bombs – one of which exploded on Jan 19 – at Bodh Gaya, Buddhism’s holiest site, reported indianexpress.com Jan 22, citing state and central agencies probing the incident. The exiled spiritual leader of Tibet has been giving a series of religious teachings since arriving there on Jan 1.

The probe has hinted at involvement of a terror group other than IM and SIMI, which were allegedly involved in the 2013 Bodhgaya blasts, the report cited police and intelligence sources as saying.

“The Dalai Lama does not appear to have been the target as he was not scheduled to cross the routes where the two bombs were placed. But Buddhists could have been the target. There is a heavy inflow of monks during evening prayer. The second bomb, found opposite Mahabodhi Society, is on the route of the monks,” a police officer was quoted as saying.

“We need to look beyond predictable angles of suspected IM involvement to avenge atrocities against Rohingya Muslims….” He was further quoted as saying.

Another police source was quoted as saying, “We have to take it seriously. In each explosive, about 7kg of ammonium nitrate appears to have been used and then the explosive was placed in thermos-like containers. It may not be a case of security breach, it is surely a serious security lapse.”

He has said that by sheer luck the explosives were found in time. The report cited a forensic department source as saying if the explosives had gone off “medium-scale” damage could have been caused. “This is probably the first time such heavy amount of explosives was placed,” he has added.

CCTV footage was cited as showing three persons, who appeared to be local residents, with one of them holding a bag and looking suspicious. “It is possible that those behind the plan got assistance from local people,” a police officer was quoted as saying.

The report said that following the Jan 19 incident in which a low-intensity bomb explosion took place while two other live bombs were discovered in a search carried out after it, Bihar police had reviewed the security of the Dalai Lama and posted two additional SPs and as many deputy SPs in charge of his security for his stay in Bodh Gaya till Feb 1.

On Jan 7, Bihar’s Chief Minister Mr Nitish Kumar, joined the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet at an event to release the first of four volumes on ‘Science and Philosophy in the Indian Buddhist Classics’.

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