(TibetanReview.net, Jan30, 2018) – Police in the Indian state of Bihar have launched a hunt for five people who are suspected to have planted three bombs outside the Mahabodhi Mahavihara, Buddhism’s holiest site, situated in the district of Gaya on Jan 19. While one bomb, described as being of low-intensity, had exploded, the other two were discovered live after a search was carried out in its aftermath. No one has claimed responsibility.
Police do not rule out the involvement of terrorist outfits, including the Indian Mujahideen and Jamat-ul-Muhahideen Bangladesh, in the incident, reported telegraphindia.com Jan 28.
The report cited police as saying photographs of the suspects were provided to the state and the central agencies. These were stated to have been obtained from video footage of the CCTV system installed in the premises of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara, a Unesco’s world heritage site.
The report said the movements of the five had been traced with the help of CCTV recordings.
One of the suspects was stated to have abandoned a bag containing explosives near gate number four of the temple. Another bomb was reported to have been planted near the Tibetan monastery. These were fitted with timers.
The third bomb, which was of low intensity, had exploded near a tea stall outside the temple after the Dalai Lama finished his sermon at Kalchakra Maidan on Jan 19.
