Bodh Gaya blasts: Terrorists’ audacity leaves sleuths aghast

NEW DELHI: Placing a dozen cylinder bombs in and around the Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodh Gaya could not have been difficult for terrorists in the absence of security, but the manner in which they placed two explosives at a platform (16 feet high) left the visiting Central team — comprising NIA and NSG officials - aghast.

The officials, having long experience of investigating terror cases, wondered why the terrorists placed the bombs at the platform when they had to use a ladder that could have attracted attention of any passerby early Sunday morning.

An official said though the intention could be to damage the Buddha statue atop the platform, the attempt showed their audacity. One out of the two bombs planted there, however, could not explode, he added.

The terrorists, who could be three or four, had not only planted four bombs inside the Mahabodhi Temple Complex and two at the nearby 16-feet high platform, but also placed seven other bombs within a radius of one km from the main shrine.

The official said that the way the terrorists had planted the bombs also showed that they might be aware of negligible security arrangement inside the temple complex and around the statue. It seems the prior mock security drill too had no impact on their plan as they possibly knew it was a routine affair.

Visiting officials also wondered why the state police did not do something to improve the security of the complex when they during a review meeting on July 2 found several lapses.

It was found during the review that the security guards employed by the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) were not trained to handle doorframe metal detectors nor did they know how to frisk the visitors. It also came to the notice that though the CCTV cameras were installed inside the complex, no one was deputed to monitor footages in real time. Footages were not even stored for sometime.