Revenge fear after 15 die in blasts on eve of holy festival

The Times, LondonWorld News
March 08, 2006

Revenge fear after 15 die in blasts on eve of holy festival
By Raekha Prasad in Delhi

INDIA was on high alert last night after a series of explosions tore through the country’s holiest Hindu city, sparking fears of renewed communal violence.

The blasts struck a crowded temple and the railway station in Varanasi, leaving at least 15 dead and scores injured.

Religious institutions across the country, particularly Hindu temples, are braced for further attacks. Sniffer dogs have been deployed at religious sites in leading cities and devotees were being searched before being allowed to worship. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister, appealed for calm, fearing a resurgence in violence between Hindus and Muslims.

The attacks on the temple-studded city on the bank of the river Ganges came as Hindus prepared for one of their most important festivals.

Television footage of the Sankat Mochan temple, where the first of three explosions struck, showed its white marble walls and floors stained with blood. Shoes of the dead and injured devotees were strewn on the ground among scattered offerings of leaves and sweets. Shards of bloodied glass littered the ground outside.Rescue workers struggled to move the injured to safety through the narrow and cobbled lanes where the temple is located. Footage showed bleeding survivors being carried away on blankets. An old woman lay on the floor, holding up her arms to helpers, who pulled her away. Several among the 60 hurt had been critically injured. The explosions were timed to coincide with the arrival of hundreds of worshippers at the temple, which is one of India’s oldest and dedicated to the Hindu monkey god Hanuman. Tuesday is considered particularly holy by devotees and the temple was packed with pilgrims.

The first explosion happened outside the building at about 6pm, and was followed by two others at the city’s main railway station. One explosion tore through a packed train carriage as travellers prepared to leave the city for the Hindu festival of colour, Holi, next week. Another detonation occurred inside the ticket hall.Officials said that police had defused a bomb in a residential area, and had found four other devices at rest places on the banks of the Ganges.

Although none of the Islamic separatist groups, Maoists or tribal groups fighting in various parts of the country immediately claimed responsibility, commentators said that the aim was to stir up trouble between the two main religious communities.

Tensions between Hindus and Muslims were strained in Uttar Pradesh, the state where Varanasi is located, after a visit to India last week by George Bush. Yashpal Singh, the police chief of Uttar Pradesh state, said he suspected the Pakistan-based Islamic militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Yesterday’s attack was the second on a holy Hindu site in the state in the past year.

In July gunmen stormed Ayodhya, a city sacred to both Hindus and Muslims, and a tinderbox for communal violence. In 1992, more than 2,000 people were killed in religious riots after Hindu mobs razed a 16th-century mosque in Ayodhya. Last night a government spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has appealed for people to remain calm. The Government is dealing with the situation and people should maintain peace.”

SACRED CITY. Varanasi is a centre of worship for the Hindu God, Lord Shiva, making it one of the most sacred places for Hindu pilgrims. The River Ganges, which runs through the city, is said to wash away the sins of mortals. Every day thousands of pilgrims journey to steps on the river’s banks, known as ghats, to bathe in its waters. Traditionally, cremations are also carried out on the ghats, with the ashes from the pyres scattered in the water. Dying in the city enables Hindus to escape the cycle of birth and rebirth

Copyright 2006 Times Newspapers Ltd.