Tracking the blasts ... live

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Links
From Wikipedia: More on Varanasi

Govt of India's National Informatics Centre's site on Varanasi

From Wikipedia: More about Improvised Explosive Devices

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That's it for the moment ...

As of 11:15pm here's what we know.

Three blasts have been confirmed. Two at the Varanasi Cantt railway station. One at the Sankat Mochan Temple.

There is an unconfirmed report of a fourth blast on a train that had left Lahota Railway Station - Varanasi's other station.

Twelve deaths have been confirmed in the blasts. Twenty people are said to be injured.

Unconfirmed reports suggest as many as twenty people may have died and between 50 and 60 people injured.

UP chief minister Mulayam Singh has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh for the relatives of the deceased. Injured will recieve Rs 1 lakh.

Four bombs have been defused at Dashaswamedh Ghat. Two have been defused at a restaurant in Varanasi.

All states are in a condition of high alert and Varanasi has been cordoned off.

Police say Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were used in the blasts and that remote controls were use to trigger the bombs.

Intelligence officials are suggesting that part of a mixed group of twenty terrorists from groups like Lashkar-e-Tayabba and Jaish-e-Mohammed who crossed over from Nepal may be responsible for these attacks.

Intelligence sources have also told SIT chief V K Shashikumar as well as Crime Bureau Chief Shiv Pujan Jha that information about such an attack was conveyed to state units more than a month ago.

Signing off.



Fourth blast unconfirmed
Conflicting reports are emerging about the number of blasts. Local police are telling our correpondent Neelanjana Bose that only two blasts have taken place, and that no blast has taken place on a train that had left Lahota Station and travelled 40 kilometres. CNN-IBN correspondent Abhishek Patni however says that the Lahota blast did take place and a railway track has been blown off ... but that there are no casualties. Official sources maintain that three blasts have taken place: one at the Sankatmochan temple, two at the Varanasi Cantt railway station. Besides this four bombs have been defused at the Dashaswamedh Ghat and two live bombs were recovered from a restaurant in Varanasi. The city has been cordoned off.

As of now variable reports are coming in about the death toll. Official sources confirm that seven people have died and around 20 are injured. Unofficial sources say as many as 20 may have died and between 50 and 60 are injured.

The UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav has offered ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the relatives of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to the injured.

Police are speculating that Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were used in the blasts and that remote controls were use to trigger the bombs.

Intelligence officials are suggesting that part of a mixed group of twenty terrorists from groups like Lashkar-e-Tayabba and Jaish-e-Mohammed who crossed over from Nepal may be responsible for these attacks.

A Kashmiri militant was caught in Varanasi a few months ago .. but no action was taken at the time. Intelligence sources have also told SIT chief V K Shashikumar as well as Crime Bureau Chief Shiv Pujan Jha that information about such an attack was conveyed to the state government more than a month ago.

Emerging politics

Analysis by Bhupen Chaubey in a live chat

The politicisation of the blasts have started. Supporters of the BJP, RSS and VHP are on their way to Lucknow. While BJP president Rajnath Singh has already accused the UPA government, BJP Leaders are expected to allege that the UPA government has gone soft on terrorism.

The BJP may also use this as an opportunity to check if they can go back to hard Hindutva.

Sonia Gandhi and Shivraj Patil leaving for Varanasi

Fourth blast unconfirmed
Conflicting reports are emerging about the number of blasts. Local police are telling our correpondent Neelanjana Bose that only two blasts have taken place, and that no blast has taken place on a train that had left Lahota Station and travelled 40 kilometres. CNN-IBN correspondent Abhishek Patni however says that the Lahota blast did take place and a railway track has been blown off ... but that there are no casualties. Official sources maintain that three blasts have taken place: one at the Sankatmochan temple, two at the Varanasi Cantt railway station. Besides this four bombs have been defused at the Dashaswamedh Ghat and two live bombs were recovered from a restaurant in Varanasi. The city has been cordoned off.

As of now variable reports are coming in about the death toll. Official sources confirm that seven people have died and around 20 are injured. Unofficial sources say as many as 20 may have died and between 50 and 60 are injured.

The UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav has offered ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the relatives of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to the injured.

Police are speculating that Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were used in the blasts and that remote controls were use to trigger the bombs.

Intelligence officials are suggesting that part of a mixed group of twenty terrorists from groups like Lashkar-e-Tayabba and Jaish-e-Mohammed who crossed over from Nepal may be responsible for these attacks.

A Kashmiri militant was caught in Varanasi a few months ago .. but no action was taken at the time. Intelligence sources have also told SIT chief V K Shashikumar as well as Crime Bureau Chief Shiv Pujan Jha that information about such an attack was conveyed to the state government more than a month ago.

Two live bombs recovered from a restaurant

State out of the loop?

While local intelligence officials had information about a possible attack, the state government may not have been told this, say sources.

A pattern emerges: Bhupen Chaubey
All blasts are 10-12 kilometres of each other in an almost straight line.

Fourth Bomb Blast in Varanasi
Another bomb blast has been confirmed at the Lahota station .. Varanasi's other major station which services daily traffic between Lucknow and Varanasi ... the track has been blown off.

No updates online from the government

Looking for information on most of the Government of India's websites is turning out to be a waste of time. The Ministry of Home Affairs (http://mha.nic.in/) has nothing on the blast ... nor does the website of the Indian Railways (http://www.indianrail.gov.in/)



Security hiked at temples
Devotees are undergoing stringent security checks at the Hanuman Temple in Delhi ... devotees are maintaining order and are continuing to pray at the temple .. there is an air of calm around the temple.

No action taken against militant
A Kashmiri militant was caught in Varanasi a few months ago .. but no action was taken at the time. Intelligence sources have also told SIT chief V K Shashikumar as well as Crime Bureau Chief Shiv Pujan Jha that information about such an attack was conveyed to the state government more than a month ago.

Kalam calls for calm

Condemning the blasts at Varanasi, President A P J Abdul Kalam appealed to people to maintain calm. Expressing his sympathies with the bereaved families, Kalam said he was sure that the state government was taking all possible steps to help the victims and ensure peace and order. While condoling the loss of lives, the President wished the injured a speedy recovery, according to Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson S M Khan.

DD News: Two marriages were on at the temple at the time of the blast

According to the Doordarshan News website here, two marriages were being solemnised at the time of the blast.


Official Statement from Home Ministry

Home Secretary V K Duggal calls it a shameful act .. says that according to official sources, very few people have died. Advisories have been sent to all states to protect places of worship and ensure that peace and calm reigns.

Four bombs found

Reports are coming in that four bombs have been found at Dashaswamvedh Ghat, two kilometres from Sankatmochan Temple. A Bomb Disposal squad was rushed to the spot. They have reportedly defused the bombs.

Varanasi town sealed off

Varanasi town is cordoned off ... Home Ministry is also issuing advisories to other states ...
Information from Soni Sangwan at the Home Ministry

Tirupati on high alert

Security beefed up in Hyderabad, Cyberabad and at Tirupati. Andhra Pradesh home minister directs police comissioner and director generals of police to beef up security across the state.

Mirwaiz condemns the attack
Mirwaiz says people of Kashmir/ leadership of Kashmir will condemn whoever is involved in this attack.

Varanasi update

Utpal Pathak has seen twenty bodies .. he also adds that between 50 and 60 injured people have been rushed to hospital.

While a sense of calm returns to the temple and surrounding areas, the Benares Hindu University campus has been sealed off.


The best comments ...

Mahant Jitender from Varanasi has given one of the most lucid accounts of the blast in the Sankatmochan temple ... it seems that the temple doors have been used as stretchers

Salman Khurshid has called this an act of people with sick minds.

From Hanuman Mandir, New Delhi
Security is very tight around the Hanuman Mandir in New Delhi ... Most devotees arrived at the temple without knowing about the blasts in Varanasi. A loudspeaker has been giving details of the blast there. But the devotees there continue their darshan ...

Criminals are partying in UP
Raj Babbar, filmstar and expelled leader of the SP says that UP has a huge law and order problem with criminals ruling the roost.

As readers will remember, Babbar was expelled from the Samajwadi Party for saying the same.

Railways PRO live
Northern Railways PRO says situation is under control as relief efforts continue full steam. While the track is unaffected, trains are not passing through the station, so all trains passing through Varanasi have currently been halted.

Stirring the communal divide

On television, Rajdeep continues to talk about this attack as an attempt to stir up the communal divide in the country. It is an opinion being reflected across the establishment. The fear currently is that the situation will escalate to one where polarised communities may resort to direct action.

Website visitors seem to agree with the BJP

The comments we are getting show a lot of anger .. and there seems to be an opinion that the "Left led UPA" is to blame at some level.

Meanwhile, the Center has deployed 500 CRPF personnel of whom 200 are in Varanasi.

BJP blames the UPA

BJP President Rajnath Singh is on his way to Varanasi .. He has blamed UPA Government policies for the attack.

Confirmed casualty
12 deaths confirmed ..

About IEDs

From wikipedia:


An improvised explosive device (IED) is a formal name for explosive devices as often used in unconventional warfare by terrorists, guerrillas or commando forces in a theater of operations. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the press has often referred to these devices as roadside bombs.

An IED is a device placed or fabricated in an improvised manner incorporating destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic, or incendiary chemicals and designed to destroy, incapacitate, harass, or distract. It may incorporate military stores, but is normally devised from nonmilitary components.

An IED typically consists of an explosive charge, possibly a booster charge, a detonator and a mechanism either mechanical or electronic, known as the initiation system. IEDs are extremely diverse in design, and may contain any type of firing device or initiator, plus various commercial, military, or contrived chemical or explosive fillers.

Usually, IEDs are of crude design, often failing to detonate. However, terrorist groups have been known to produce sophisticated devices. Highly sophisticated IEDs have been constructed from arming devices scavenged from conventional munitions and easily purchased electronic components, as well as consumer devices such as mobile phones. The degree of sophistication depends on the ingenuity of the designer and the tools and materials available.

These IEDs are mostly conventional high-explosive charges, also known as homemade bombs. However, there is the threat that toxic chemical, biological, or even nuclear (dirty bomb) material can be included to add to the destructive power and psychological effect of the device.


Read more about IEDs on wikipedia here

Speculation about the bombs
Police are suggesting Improvised Explosive Devices were used in the blasts ... they are also suggesting that a remote control may have been used to trigger the blasts.

Meanwhile, condemnations pour in from all over the place. IBNLive.com readers are posting their comments ... and join Sonia Gandhi in condemning the attack.

The message that needs to be sent out by each and every one of us is the same: it is very important to stay calm and maintain peace.


Casualty/Alert update
At least seven dead, unofficial sources suggest upto a dozen feared dead
At least twenty injured

UP CM promises a lakh to each of the injured.

Delhi, Patna, Mumbai all under high alert


Hurriyat condemns attack
Bilal Lone of the the Hurriyat Conference condemns the Varanasi blasts, calling them a dastardly act of terrorism.

Mulayam Singh Live

He sounds like he is in shock .. says he is doing all he can ... and asks for everyone to stay calm ... and that maintaining peace is the most important thing

Fresh intelligence

Intelligence officials passed on information about such an attack nearly a month and half ago.

Remote control was used to trigger bombs.

Intelligence officials suggest this attack was planned months ago in the valley itself.

Splinter groups of around twenty people crossed over the Nepal border a few months ago.

Uma Bharti Live

Uma says she warned Mulayam that something like this could happen. She agrees that its a time for all communities to stand together, when asked a direct question by Rajdeep. But she says the government is primarily responsible for not controlling certain people. When asked who, she names Muktar Ansari ... calling him an "unsocial element."

Quick electricity cut in office ...

The lights went out for a minute. The computers stayed on ... but all the televisions went silent ... It was strange not to hear the continuous sound of the television in the background

PM asks people to stay calm

Condemning the explosions in Varanasi in which at least four people were killed and several injured, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today appealed to the people to maintain calm.

"The Prime Minister has appealed for maintaining peace and calm. He is constantly monitoring the situation. He has condemned the blasts ," his media adviser Sanjaya Baru said.

Casualty update

10 - 12 people thought to have died at Sankatmochan temple
10 - 12 people thought to have died at the railway station ...


Talk back

If the intelligence agencies are right, and the objective of these attacks was to polarise the Hindu Muslim communities in India, then judging from some comments on the top story on our website that were posted immediately after the blasts .. they just might have succeeded.

At 19:37 Harsha wrote:

Where are the Muslims now? Why are they not condemning the blasts? .... These so called secularists are wolves under sheep skin ... Muslims have to condemn such activities that undermines the nation .... Else the notion , that all Muslims are anti nationals and pro Islamists will gather momentum in this country and sow the seeds of a civil war.


Well, I guess we have to give people some time to get over the shock of the blast ... before we can all start expressing solidarity with the victims of the blast.

Ravi Nath on the other hand had an interestingly hawkish comment on Pakistani foriegn policy:


When Pakistan looses favours from USA, it always escalates terrorism in India.


Only time will tell if Ravi's on the ball or not.

There also seems to be an overwhelming support of violent action .. one person has suggested a take no prisoners policy for terrorists.

Keep posting.



Polarisation ... updates

The theory at the moment being put out by intelligence agencies seems to be that this attack was an attempt to further polarise Hindu Muslim communities

The Home Minister has called an emergency meeting. They already have a standard operating procedure in place to protect places of worship.

Orissa has just said the state's religious places are under High Alert.

Eyewitness Pradeep says:
I was parking ... there was chaos .. till the time I was there at the station there were no police ... Shivganga train is very crowded .. it was a high intensity blast ... blast took place around 6:15 at which time there was an electricity cut around the station as well

Mulayam Singh has offered Rs 5 lakh compensation to the victims of the blasts ...

Who did it

SIT Head V K Shashikumar:

Intelligence agencies have told us that this act was carried out to polarise the Hindu-Muslim communities. Twenty terrorists may have crossed over from Nepal, according to the intelligence agencies. A section of that 20 had made their way to Uttar Pradesh.

What we know for sure: Mixed group of terrorists from LET and Jaish crossed over from Nepal. We don't know for sure who was directly involved in the blast.

From inside sankatmochan

Utpal Dutt, our correspondent in Varanasi says:

The temple is completely sealed at the moment. The police are keeping the press out. Police suspect there may be more bombs inside ... No police/district officials are giving out information on the ground. But Utpal is giving a figure of between 10 and 20 people. The explosions in the railway station also seem to have inflicted major damage. It is at this time that a number of trains arrive and leave from the station.

Trying to keep up

The information is sketchy, but it seems that these were high intensity blasts. And there were three of them. The pictures are a shocking. It is hard to keep some semblance of detachment .. in fact, it is impossible not to be affected by what we are seeing now. We are getting a live feed from our sister channel - Channel 7.

Relief operations, it seems, are being hampered by the places where the blasts have taken place. These are some of the most crowded parts of the city -- and getting people/fire tenders etc. in is very very hard. Nearly an hour after the blast authorities are still working on the rescue operations.

For now, the casualty figure that is doing the rounds: 10 people, up from the four first given out.

Amongst all this dire news, there's a small ray of hope. The idols in the Sankatmochan temple are safe.

The blasts

The blasts have just taken place in Varanasi ... The newsroom is in a mad rush ... the objective is simple: to put out the news in the most accurate manner possible. We've managed to stay ahead of the pack .. but reports are pouring in from all over the country, besides Varanasi. A series of high alert notices across the country are being sent out by various state governments. The latest: Delhi Police have said that Delhi is on High Alert -- the capital letters mean a lot. first published:March 07, 2006, 20:15 ISTlast updated:March 07, 2006, 20:15 IST
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