Fear gripped the sacred city of Bodh Gaya on Friday evening with the recovery of cane bombs at three different places, all close to Mahabodhi Temple, the highly sacred seat of Buddhist order, and the Tibetan Monastery where spiritual leader The Dalai lama is staying.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been asked to probe the incident. One team of NIA already arrived here on Saturday and has left for Bodh Gaya.
The police made the recovery of explosive, believed to be IED, following intensive search after a low intensity explosion near the Kalachakra Maidan, where the spiritual guru delivers sermon. The mild explosion, believed to occurred in a thermos kept behind a generator, which was set near a tea stall. Bihar Governor Satyapal Malik was present in the Mahabodhi mandir with his family members when the incident occurred. The report was kept a secret and search started only after the Governor left the place.
Additional Director General of Police S K Singhal confirmed the recovery of explosives. “Recovery of explosives has been made from three places near Kalchakra Maidan. The explosives were removed and taken away to the dry bed of Falgu river by the anti bomb squads of CRPF and SSB. Intensive search operation is underway,” he said. Gaya SSP Garima Malik held a meeting with the abbots of all the Bodh Gaya based monasteries and appealed them to strictly adhere to security norms while allowing shelter to devotees. Announcements were being made in the township by the police, asking people not to touch any unclaimed object and inform the police in about any such suspicious objects.
Apart from the security forces the NIA team also arrived to probe the situation and further tighten the security in and around the temple which is also a world heritage. Cane bombs wrapped in polythene were found from different places including Kalchakra Maidan, behind a tree near Sri lankan monastery and another close to the boundary walls of the temple. The recovery created tension and terror in the temple city which is overflowing with the Buddhists coming from across the country and also foreign devotees and tourists. Among them is Dalai lama’s disciple Hollywood actor Richard Gere. The Dalai lama is camping there since the first day of this year and scheduled to stay for a month.
The Centre too expressed concern over the happening in Bodh Gaya and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba called Bihar officials to take stock of the situation. Officials from Patna were immediately dispatched to Bodh Gaya. local officials believed that it was a conspiracy to explode the sacred township with IED bombs by the terrorists as they did it over four years ago.
On July 7, 2013 the 15 centuries old temple premises was rocked with series of blasts as explosions took place at ten places and later on an unexploded cylinder bombs of 10 kg was recovered. However, only three monks were mildly injured in the serial blast which later on was credited to terror act of Indian Mujahideen.
However, the explosion and recovery of explosives has surprised all who blame the administration for major security breach. After the arrival of Buddhists spiritual head around 2,500 police personnel had been deputed in Bodh Gaya. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has visited the place twice in a fortnight.