29 September 2008 western India bombings

Infobox civilian attack
title = 29 September 2008 western India bombings


caption =
location = Maharashtra and Gujarat, India
coordinates =
date = 29 September 2008
time = 21:30
timezone = UTC+05:30
type = Bombings
fatalities = 10
injuries = 80cite news|url=http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/A2DA77A4E3D5B230652574D3006A4602?OpenDocument|title=5 killed, 80 injured in blasts in Gujarat, Maharashtra towns |date=2008-09-29|publisher=Press Trust of India|accessdate=2008-09-29]
perps =
perp =
susperps = unknown
susperp =
weapons = Low intensity crude bombs
motive = In the 29 September 2008 western India bombings, three bombs exploded in two western provinces of India killing 9 and injuring 80. Two bombs went off in Malegaon, Maharashtra which killed seven people while another blast in Modasa, Gujarat resulted in the death of three persons. [cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14770924 |title=Mehrauli blast death toll rises to 3 |publisher=Sify.com |date=2008-10-05 |accessdate=2008-10-06] According to "Times of India", the bombs which went off were quite similar to those which exploded in Delhi two days back. [cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Blasts_in_Maharashtra_Gujarat_8_killed/articleshow/3542011.cms |title=Blasts in Maharashtra, Gujarat; 8 killed |publisher=The Times of India |date=2008-09-30 |accessdate=2008-10-03] These blasts took place a day after police in Ahmedabad, Gujarat found 17 crude bombs. [cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Police_find_17_crude_bombs_in_Ahmedabad/articleshow/3539297.cms |title=Police find 17 crude bombs in Ahmedabad |publisher=The Times of India |date=2008-09-30 |accessdate=2008-10-03] According to "CNN-IBN", the bombs were of low intensity. [cite news|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/blasts-in-maharashtra-gujarat-towns-4-dead/74634-3.html |title=Four dead in Guj, Maharashtra blasts |publisher=ibnlive.com |date=2008-09-29 |accessdate=2008-10-03]

Background

India witnessed a surge in terror attacks since May 2008 when a series of blasts in Jaipur killed 63. [Majumdar, Bappa. " [http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/FullcoverageStoryPage.aspx?id=ba873f80-b554-48c2-be89-3917c7e6f249TerrorstrikesJaipur_Special&&Headline='Unknown+terror+group+claims+responsibility' Unknown terror group claims responsibility: report] ", Hindustan Times, May 15 2008.] Since then, other major Indian cities including Bangalore, [cite web |url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/nine-blasts-rock-bangalore-two-killed/69540-3.html |title=Nine blasts rock Bangalore Chaos and curiousity |date=Jul 25, 2008 |publisher=IBN Live |accessdate=2008-08-03] Ahmedabadcite web| last =| first =| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Gujarat police release three sketches| work =The Hindu| publisher =Kasturi & Sons Ltd| date =2008-08-06| url =http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15625&Itemid=88| format =| doi =| accessdate =2008-08-06 ] and Delhi have been targeted.

On 29 September 2008, police in Ahmedabad, Gujarat foiled another terror attack when 17 bombs were found and defused. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7642937.stm |title=Police 'find 17 bombs' in Gujarat |publisher=BBC NEWS |date=2008-09-29 |accessdate=2008-10-03] However, a low-intensity bomb exploded at a market packed with Muslims breaking their Ramadan fast, killing one and wounding 15. [cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26946171/ |title=Explosion kills 1, wounds 15 in western India |publisher=AP via msnbc |date=2008-09-29 |accessdate=2008-10-03] Another bomb in Faridabad was found and defused. [cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Civilian_defuses_bomb_in_Faridabad/articleshow/3540338.cms |title=Bomb found in Faridabad, defused by civilian |publisher=The Times of India |date=2008-09-28 |accessdate=2008-10-03]

The explosions in Malegaon and Modasa took place on the eve of Navratri, a major Hindu festival celebrated across India.cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=58462ebb-1d3d-42c5-962f-a93c44f86424&&Headline=Three+blown+dead%3a+This+terror+run+isn%E2%80%99t+over+yet |title=3 blown dead: This terror run isn’t over yet |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=2008-09-29 |accessdate=2008-10-03]

On October 5 police said they had arrested a man in connection to the bombings. PTI reported that further investigations were under way, with more arrests expected. [cite web|url=http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200810/s2382370.htm?tab=asia |title=Man arrested over India blast |publisher=Radioaustralia.net.au |date=2008-10-05 |accessdate=2008-10-06]

Blast

Near a hotel at Bhikku Chowk in Malegaon, Maharashtra, bombs fitted on a Hero Honda motorcycle detonated.cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=e36f87dc-df91-4445-8fe3-79cfbaa4fc69&&Headline=Situation+remains+tense%3b+curfew+relaxed |title=Malegaon blast: Situation remains tense; curfew relaxed |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=2008-09-30 |accessdate=2008-10-03]

Earlier there was confusion as to what caused the blast with some suggesting that it was caused by an accidental explosion of a gas cylinder. But the police later confirmed that the blast was a terrorist attack. [cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=11870708-4a02-4506-a8f2-ebc16113c6a6&ParentID=e36f87dc-df91-4445-8fe3-79cfbaa4fc69&&Headline=%27Malegaon+explosion+was+bomb+blast%27 |title=Malegaon explosion was bomb blast: police |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=2008-09-30 |accessdate=2008-10-03]

Aftermath

"CNN-IBN" reported that after the blast a mob of 20,000 gathered near the blast site, following which the state of Maharashtra deployed Reserve Police Force to prevent any mob violence. [cite news|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/malegaon-mob-violence-postblast-patil-appeals-for-peace/74640-3.html |title=Mob violence post-blast, Patil appeals for peace |publisher=ibnlive.com |date=2008-09-30 |accessdate=2008-10-03] The police brought the situation under control after a brief clash with the mob.

Amidst rising security concerns, Gujarat plans to deploy police in heavy numbers during the "garba" festivities. [cite news|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/security-concerns-wheel-in-drivein-garba-in-gujarat/74641-3.html |title=Security concerns wheel in drive-in Garba in Gujarat |publisher=ibnlive.com |date=2008-09-30 |accessdate=2008-10-03]

Investigation

Mumbai Police deployed Anti Terrorism Squad to assist the local investigating authorities in Malegaon. [cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=e2b9f3a1-b55b-460a-8b60-e600256ece3d&ParentID=e36f87dc-df91-4445-8fe3-79cfbaa4fc69&&Headline=ATS+team+to+investigate+blast+at+Malegaon |title=ATS team to investigate blast at Malegaon |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=2008-09-0 |accessdate=2008-10-03] Police say that unsophisticated, crude bombs, identical to those which detonated in Delhi 3 days ago, were used.

Police across India, especially in Delhi, received a number of hoax calls and SMSes, hampering the investigation. [cite news|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/hoax-terror-calls-smses-give-cops-sleepless-nights/74642-3.html |title=Hoax terror calls, SMSes give cops sleepless nights |publisher=ibnlive.com |date=2008-09-30 |accessdate=2008-10-03]

ee also

*List of terrorist incidents, 2008
* Jaipur bombings
* Bangalore bombings
* 2008 Ahmedabad bombings
* 13 September 2008 Delhi bombings
* 27 September 2008 Delhi blast

External links

* [http://www.ibnlive.com/photogallery/984-1.html#view_start Picture gallery of blast sites]

References