Nine Blasts rock Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya

Terrorist attack on Buddhagaya ....9 blasts ... 5 injured

     Bombs placed within the environs of Buddhagaya exploded this morning (Sunday) at about 5.30 resulting in a commotion. It is reported from India that when those in the area began decreasing towards dawn, a Tibetan monk and 4 other pilgrims who were there were injured from the blast and one of them is in a serious condition. It was said that a series of blasts were heard simultaneously from several places at the moment when monks of Buddhagaya     were just beginning to attend to their religious activities that morning and on investigations it was found that the blasts had occurred in isolated places around the vihara.

    It was revealed at police investigations that these blasts however were not powerful enough so as to cause damage to the vihara or buildings. After the series of 9 blasts went off, the injured were immediately hospitalised and the police took steps to remove the crowd in the vihara and the surrounding area. In the meantime, it was later reported that when the Bihar Province conducted investigations at the site, they were able to find 2 live bombs.

    What the Minister of Housing had said was that this act is suspected to have been launched as a destructive act of terrorists.

    It is suspected that since it is mostly Buddhist devotees from Sri Lanka, China and Japan who visit Buddhagaya, this act has been the work of someone who had wanted to stop them from coming there.

    The high Commissioner has confirmed that there were no Sri Lankan casualties in the incident.