Two bombs found near
Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya
January 20, 2018 Tenzin
Dharpo Phayul.com
19, 2018. DHARAMSHALA, Jan.
20: Bodh Gaya police has found two bombs near the the Mahabodhi
temple premises on Friday night, sources said. Both the explosives
have now been diffused by the bomb squad and situation according to
local police, is under control and the main temple as been made
open for public.
One of the two explosives
identified as crude bombs or improvised explosive device was found
near the gate no. 4 of the Mahabodhi temple while the other was
found near the road leading to the Tibetan leader His Holiness the
Dalai Lama’s residence there.
There are reports about a
low intensity blast last night near the main temple that prompted
security authorities to comb the vicinity leading to the recovery
of the two bombs. The area near the main temple and the Dalai
Lama’s residence have been beefed with additional security with
vendors and gathering near those areas being banned although the
Mahabodhi temple remains open for public.
While there is no
information on who planted the bombs and with what agenda, India
media has reported that investigations in the matter would begin
with special teams of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from
Delhi or Lucknow are called in.
The timing of the incident
raises serious security lapses at Bodhgaya during the peak
pilgrimage season, where thousands of pilgrims flock to receive
teachings and visit the temple considered the holiest site by
Buddhists. Over forty thousand people have been estimated to be
present this past few weeks in Bodhgaya, the Mecca for
Buddhists.
On Thursday, the exiled
Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama who was to oversee a
religious ceremony today at the teaching grounds, cancelled the
event citing exhaustion.
Earlier on Jan. 3, Thirteen
policemen were suspended for negligence, while being on security
duty for the the Dalai Lama.
In July 2013, a series of
low intensity bomb blasts took place near the Bodh Gaya temple in
which three Buddhist priests were injured.