By TCN Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Are Hindutva groups or activists behind 16, not just 4, terror blasts in the country? Reports say that Hindutva activists have either been suspected or are under investigation in 16 incidents of bomb blasts in the country. So far, their role has been established in four major blasts – Samjhauta Express (February 18, 2007), Mecca Masjid (May 18, 2007), Ajmer Dargah (October 11, 2007)and Malegaon (September 29, 2008).
At the recent Annual Conference of DGPs (Director General of Police) held in New Delhi on 16th September 2011, a special director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) reportedly informed the state police chiefs that the Hindutva activists have either been suspected or are under investigation in 16 incidents of bomb blasts in the country.
Mecca Masjid blast [Photo Courtesy: AFP]
The face of saffron terror has been exposed in four terror bombings so far but the IB officer has revealed that the saffron terror could be behind many more blasts. However, the IB official did not specify the 12 other cases in which the investigating agencies suspected or probed the role of saffron extremists.
The saffron terror first came to light with the arrest of Sangh Parivar activist Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Col. Shrikant Purohit in connection with the September 29, 2008 blast at Malegaon in Maharashtra, which killed seven people. The Maharashtra Police on January 19, 2009 filed a charge sheet against Thakur and Purohit and some others for their role in the Malegaon blast.
In further investigation, the role of saffron groups was established in Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Dargah blasts. RSS pracharak Swami Aseemanand had confessed the role saffron groups in these blasts. Aseemanand was arrested from Haridwar in November 2010.
After the spate of terror bombings in 2007, the country witnessed serial bomb blasts in three cities – Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Delhi – in 2008. Like in the 2007 blasts, Muslim youths have been picked in hundreds for the 2008 bombings also. However, the trial in the 2008 bombings has not yet started. Like in the cases of 2007, family members of Muslim youths picked for 2008 bombings claim innocent. However, investigating agencies have blamed terror group Indian Mujahideen for these bombings.
Malegaon blast [Photo Courtesy: outlookindia.com]
At the same DGPs conference, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh expressed concern on the perception about bias of the law enforcement and investigation agencies against the minorities. He said the existence of such a perception is inimical to effective policing.
“Another issue which also figured at the recent meeting of the National Integration Council was the perceived bias sometimes of the law enforcement and investigation agencies against the minorities. The existence of such a perception is inimical to effective policing, which must necessarily draw upon the confidence and cooperation of all sections of the population it serves. I would like you to consider ways and means to deal with the causes of such perceptions wherever they may exist,” the PM said.