Remaining non-committal on the proposal of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to deploy Central Industrial Security Force for intensifying security at Mahabodhi Temple, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that the National Investigation Agency is conducting probe into the blasts by going into full details of all possible aspects like infiltration from other countries, problem of Naxalism and communal disturbances.
"These are complex problems and investigation required to be conducted by taking all aspects into consideration," he remarked. Shinde who visited the blast sites along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior party leader Ambika Soni told mediapersons at Bodh Gaya that the Centre has already accepted the request of the State Government for handing over the bomb blasts probe to NIA, which is investigating into the serial blasts by considering all possible angles to it.
Bihar Police and other agencies are now assisting the NIA which took over the investigation work from the Tuesday night itself. Earlier, NIA was assisting the State police in the investigation into the serial blasts which took place during the morning hours on Sunday.
On the deployment of CISF jawans at Mahabodhi temple, Shinde said that the Centre is considering the matter afresh after it received a proposal from Nitish Kumar in this regard. He said that earlier Sai Baba temple at Shirdi and Jama Masjid had also made a similar request. He said that CISF jawans have not been deployed at the religious places so far, reiterating that the Centre is studying the matter.
The Union Home Minister said that both the Centre and the Delhi Police had provided inputs to the State Government prior to the terror strike at Mahabodhi temple. He said that a DIG rank officer had also held a meeting with the local administration on July 3 to review the security at Mahabodhi temple.
Condemning the serial blasts at Bodh Gaya, Shinde said that the terror strike is a matter of serious concern and also did not rule out the involvement of three to four people in the attack. "We strongly condemn the serial bomb blasts at the pious land of lord Buddha," he commented. Shinde said that the NIA is a top investigating agency at par with the CBI and it is particularly specialised in investigating into the cases involving terrorists' strikes. He said that the investigating agencies have started questioning the suspected people but they are not in a hurry to arrest somebody as only real culprits should be arrested.
Shinde said that small gas cylinders of two to three kilos were used for bomb making, adding that these cylinders were containing nails and ball-bearings and were connected with detonators and a watch. He said that bombs must have been planted at night and later they went off between 5 am to 6 am on Sunday. Shinde also visited all the blast sites to make on-the-spot assessment.