13 May 2008 Jaipur bombings
Encyclopedia
The 13 May 2008 Jaipur bombings were a series of nine synchronized bomb
blasts that took place within a span of fifteen minutes at locations in Jaipur
, the capital city of the Indian state of Rajasthan
, and a tourist destination. A tenth bomb was found and defused. Official reports confirm 63 dead with 216 or more people injured. The bombings shocked most of India and resulted in widespread condemnation from leaders across the world with many countries showing solidarity with India
in its fight against terrorism.
This was the first time terrorists had targeted Jaipur, India's tenth largest city and one of its most popular tourist destinations. The bombs went off near historic monuments at one of the busiest times of the day. One of the bombs exploded close to Jaipur's most famous landmark, the historic Hawa Mahal
(palace of winds).
Two days after the blasts, a previously unknown Islam
ic militant group known as Indian Mujahideen
, sent an e-mail to Indian media in which they claimed responsibility for the attacks and said they would "demolish the faith (Hinduism
)" of the "infidels of India". Though the Indian authorities said that the e-mail was genuine, they also added that there were some contradictions and the primary motive of the e-mail might be to mislead investigating agencies. Indian Home Ministry
sources said that a Bangladesh
-based organization, Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
(HuJI) or "Islamic Holy War Movement", was suspected to be behind the attack. The police were also able to find credible evidence linking the suspected bombers to Bangladeshi militants which resulted in backlash against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Rajasthan. India plans to expel more than 50,000 Bangladeshi migrants in Rajasthan.
placed in bicycles:
Nine bombs at seven locations exploded within fifteen minutes, starting at 7:10 PM. The blasts were synchronized to inflict maximum casualties. The first two blasts occurred at Manak Chowk and as the crowd ran towards Johri Bazar another two blasts near the National Handloom Centre blocked the exit point, pushing back the panicked crowd towards Tripolia Bazar and Chandpol area, where subsequent blasts caused maximum fatalities.
were deployed throughout the city. Most of the victims were taken to Sawai Man Singh Hospital
. The doctors used the mobile phones of the dead to inform the victims' relatives. A curfew was imposed in parts of Jaipur and the state government of Rajasthan had ordered all units of police to maintain extra vigilance across the state. The Government of India deployed several units of the elite National Security Guards
in Jaipur to aid the law and order forces in the city. 400 men from Rapid Action Force
were also sent. A few hours after the blasts, India declared high alert across several major Indian cities including Delhi
, Mumbai
(Bombay) and Chennai
(Madras). Security in other major Indian tourist destinations like Panaji and Agra
was also increased. Delhi Police also sent a team to Jaipur to check whether the terrorist attacks there had any links with previous terrorists attacks in Delhi.
Four people were detained for questioning by Rajasthan police regarding the blasts. A lead has already been traced by the police. Initial police investigations suggested the involvement of several Islamic militant organizations like Bangladesh
-based Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
, Student's Islamic Movement of India or Pakistan
-based Lashkar-e-Toiba
. Concerns are also being raised about the possible involvement of al-Qaeda
. In a statement, militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba denied its involvement in the attacks.
Police officials say that the bomb blasts in Jaipur follow patterns similar to those observed during the bomb blasts in Hyderabad and Varanasi
. The Indian Police revealed that the bombs planted were of low intensity but by placing them in highly crowded areas, the terrorists had ensured that the death toll would be high. The Times of India quoted Additional Director General of Rajasthan Police
officer as saying that the terrorists had planted "highly explosive RDX" with timers on bicycles, a technique which was also used during the terror attacks
in Uttar Pradesh
in November, 2007 (in which the involvement of Bangladesh's Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami is also suspected). The police have also found striking similarity between the Jaipur bombings and Hyderabad bombings
. On May 15, a police officer said,
The police said that they had identified the people who had sold bicycles to the attackers. The bicycle sellers said that the bombers spoke Bengali language
, adding credibility to police claims that the terrorists might be Bangladeshis. A police official said,
On May 14, the Indian police released a sketch of a suspect. A day later, the police released sketches of three additional suspects. A shop owner in Udaipur
claimed he saw one of the suspects a few days back.
via e-mail supposedly featuring the bicycles wrapped with explosives used during the terror attacks. The address from which the e-mail was sent was reported to be "guru_alhindi_jaipur@yahoo.co.uk". News agencies reported that the video showed a serial number on one of the bicycles as '129489'. Police officials confirmed that the bicycle used in Choti Choupad blast had the same serial number. However, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje
also suggested that a secondary objective of the e-mail could also be to mislead the investigating authorities.
In the e-mail, the group threatened an "open war against India" unless it stops supporting the United States
and United Kingdom
on "international issues". It also said that it would "demolish the faith (Hinduism
)" of the "infidels of India".
, Pratibha Patil
expressed her grief at the loss of lives in the blasts and appealed for calm while the Prime Minister of India
, Manmohan Singh
, pledged the Government of India
's support to the state Government of Rajasthan
and the victims' families. The Prime Minister also said:
Singh also defended the Government’s intelligence mechanisms saying the number of cases that the intelligence agencies had anticipated and prevented was "significant". He observed:
Indian Home Minister, Shivraj Patil
, conveyed his condolences to the victims' families. The Government of India announced 100,000 INR
compensation to the next kin of those dead in the terrorist attacks and 50,000 INR ex gratia to those seriously injured. An emergency meeting of Indian cabinet ministers was also held later during the day. Foreign Minister of India, Pranab Mukherjee
, said he was going to raise the issue of 'cross-border terrorism' with Pakistan's government during his visit to Islamabad
next week. Indian Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram
, said that the blasts won't affect India's business climate. India's National Security Advisor
, M.K. Narayanan, said that the intelligence agencies were looking into all possible aspects of the blasts and no major breakthrough in ongoing investigations were made.
The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje
, said "I condemn this blast. They have tried to ruin the communal harmony of the state but they will not succeed. Never in the history of Rajasthan such a heinous incident has happened and this is not an attack on the state but on the nation". She also added, "there are some slender leads on which the state agencies are working and its difficult to name any terror outfit at present". The Chief Minister also laid emphasis on a new anti-terror legislation either similar to POTA
or to the one in the neighbouring state of Gujarat. She also criticised the President of India for not signing an anti-terror bill passed by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
in 2006. Raje also expressed her concern that the terrorist attacks in Jaipur will negatively affect the tourism industry there. The Chief Minister also said that Rajasthan will have its own anti-terror force and also proposed a joint task force between Indian states.
India's main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP), blamed the United Progressive Alliance
(UPA)-government for not taking adequate measures against terrorism in India
and re-newed calls for POTA
were made. The BJP also demanded that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence
should be on international terror watch-list. India's Leader of Opposition, L. K. Advani, said "The blasts are reflective of the states' inability to preempt these strikes." Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
accused the UPA government of adopting double standards on terrorism and said, "The UPA-led government at the Centre should make the people realise that it is committed to curb terrorism spreading in our country."
's spokesman said, "[Ban Ki-moon] strongly condemns such terrorist attacks, and sends his heartfelt sympathies to the Government of India and to the families of the victims."
- President of European Commission
, Jose Manuel Barroso, said "On behalf of the European Commission and on my own behalf, allow me to offer you and the people of India our sincere condolences, and the expression of our deepest sympathy and solidarity with the families of the victims." In a statement the European Union members offered their "deepest condolences to the families of the victims." The EU also added, "These attacks clearly demonstrate that terrorism is a serious threat to all states and to all peoples. No cause, no grievance can justify acts of terrorism."
- President Hamid Karzai
said he "understood India's pain" and that his government stands by the people of India in this hour of tragedy.
- Australian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, "the attack on a democratic, tolerant, open society is repugnant. Australian and Indian law enforcement agencies continue to work together in our common fight against terrorism."
- Foreign Affairs advisor said, "It was a mindless and shameful act that deserves condemnation in the strongest terms. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and sympathies to the Indian authorities. These are terrorists who have done this sordid and heinous deeds, and terrorists have no boundaries." The advisor also said that Indian media reports of linking the attacks to Bangladesh-based HuJI were premature.
- Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier
said, "On behalf of all Canadians, I extend my condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured. We stand firmly united with the government of India, a proud and strong democracy, in condemning these acts of terror. Among our [India and Canada] mutual priorities is close cooperation to fight terrorism."
- A statement issued by Chile's Foreign Ministry said, "Chile's government would like to convey its deep condolences and expression of solidarity to the Indian authorities and the victims' relatives. Chile expresses its most emphatic repudiation and condemnation of these acts and hopes for the early recuperation of those injured in the attacks."
- President Nicolas Sarkozy
expressed his deepest condolences over the "morrow of the blasts that have painfully plunged Jaipur in mourning. France most firmly condemns this barbaric and despicable act. I would like to express the solidarity of my country in the ordeal that you are suffering. France remains by your side in the fight against the scourge of terrorism." Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner
said "I wish to express my indignation and repugnance at the wave of attacks that have plunged the city of Jaipur into mourning. France is more than ever willing to intensify cooperation with India in the anti-terrorist struggle. Today we are at the side of India and the Indian people in the face of this inconceivable horror. We wish to assure the Indian government of our full support."
- Israeli embassy in New Delhi said in a statement that Israel understood the "enormity of the tragedy" and that "Israel extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and its wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured." The Israeli government also said that it was up to the [international] community to act in a "concerted and unified manner" to fight terrorism.
- Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani
released the following statement, "Pakistan condemns all acts of terrorism and reaffirms its firm commitment to fight this scourge together with the international community." Pakistan also proposed a joint 'anti-terrorism strategy' with India.
- Foreign Ministry spokesman said, "the Chinese government would like to express deep grief over the victims in the terrorist attack and convey sincere condolences to the relatives of the victims and those wounded in the attack. China is firmly opposed to terrorism of any form and is ready to work together with the international community to make unremitting efforts to safeguard world peace and stability."
- Foreign Ministry said, "We share the grief of the Indian people. We extend our condolences to the families of the victims of the attacks as well as to the people and the Government of India. We also wish speedy recovery to those wounded. In this context, Turkey strongly condemns these heinous terrorist attacks which were aimed at disrupting the stability of India."
- Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan said, "UAE strongly condemns the blasts in Jaipur and expressed full solidarity with the government of India in its measures against terrorism."
- Foreign Minister David Miliband
said, "Bombings in Jaipur have shown again the horrific destruction which terrorism brings. My thoughts are with the families of the victims and with those injured. There can never be any justification for acts of indiscriminate violence such as these, and I utterly condemn those who have perpetrated Tuesday's attacks. The UK will continue to stand with the government and people of India against terrorism in all its manifestations."
- The US State Department
said in a statement, "There is no justification for the murder of innocent people. The United States stands with India in the fight to eliminate the scourge of terrorism." The United States has also offered Indian security and intelligence agencies assistance in probing the attacks.
(IPL) donated Rs.
60 million (US$1.4 million) to the Chief Minister relief fund. Each of the eight IPL teams donated 5 million INR while each of the five official sponsors donated an additional 4 million INR. Jaipur's local IPL team, Rajasthan Royals
, demanded extra security, to which IPL management agreed. All the IPL matches scheduled for Jaipur were temporarily put on hold but IPL Chairman, Lalit Modi
, confirmed that Jaipur will host the Rajasthan Royals' match on Saturday. Modi also said that carry-on bags were banned at all venues where the IPL matches are to be played.
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
blasts that took place within a span of fifteen minutes at locations in Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, the capital city of the Indian state of Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, and a tourist destination. A tenth bomb was found and defused. Official reports confirm 63 dead with 216 or more people injured. The bombings shocked most of India and resulted in widespread condemnation from leaders across the world with many countries showing solidarity with India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in its fight against terrorism.
This was the first time terrorists had targeted Jaipur, India's tenth largest city and one of its most popular tourist destinations. The bombs went off near historic monuments at one of the busiest times of the day. One of the bombs exploded close to Jaipur's most famous landmark, the historic Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal , is a palace in Jaipur, India. It was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, and designed by Lal Chand Ustad in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god...
(palace of winds).
Two days after the blasts, a previously unknown Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic militant group known as Indian Mujahideen
Indian Mujahideen
Indian Mujahideen is a terrorist group based in India, known for carrying out several attacks against civilian targets in India....
, sent an e-mail to Indian media in which they claimed responsibility for the attacks and said they would "demolish the faith (Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
)" of the "infidels of India". Though the Indian authorities said that the e-mail was genuine, they also added that there were some contradictions and the primary motive of the e-mail might be to mislead investigating agencies. Indian Home Ministry
Ministry of Home Affairs (India)
Ministry of Home Affairs , known as the Home Ministry or MHA, is an Indian government ministry. It is an interior ministry mainly responsible for the maintenance of Internal security and domestic policy.-Ministerial Team:...
sources said that a Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
-based organization, Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami is an Islamic fundamentalist organization most active in South Asian countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and India since the early 1990s. It was banned in Bangladesh in 2005. The operational commander of HuJI, Ilyas Kashmiri, was reportedly killed in a U.S. Predator drone...
(HuJI) or "Islamic Holy War Movement", was suspected to be behind the attack. The police were also able to find credible evidence linking the suspected bombers to Bangladeshi militants which resulted in backlash against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Rajasthan. India plans to expel more than 50,000 Bangladeshi migrants in Rajasthan.
Bombings
The following areas were bombed using RDXRDX
RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...
placed in bicycles:
- Bari Choupar
- Manak Chowk Police Station area
- Johari Bazar
- Tripolia Bazar
- Choti Choupar
- Kotwali area
Nine bombs at seven locations exploded within fifteen minutes, starting at 7:10 PM. The blasts were synchronized to inflict maximum casualties. The first two blasts occurred at Manak Chowk and as the crowd ran towards Johri Bazar another two blasts near the National Handloom Centre blocked the exit point, pushing back the panicked crowd towards Tripolia Bazar and Chandpol area, where subsequent blasts caused maximum fatalities.
Aftermath
The serial blasts created panic among Jaipur residents following which several units of police and Indian Paramilitary ForcesIndian Paramilitary Forces
According to the official definition adopted in 2011, "Paramilitary Forces" refers to three organisations which assist the Indian Armed Forces particularly closely and are led by officers of the Indian Army or Indian Navy...
were deployed throughout the city. Most of the victims were taken to Sawai Man Singh Hospital
Sawai Man Singh Hospital
Sawai Man Singh Hospital is the major hospital of Jaipur and Rajasthan state of India. This government hospital is staffed with 255 doctors and 660 nurses with 1563 beds in 43 wards. The construction of hospital building began in 1934. The hospital is named after Sawai Man Singh II, then king of...
. The doctors used the mobile phones of the dead to inform the victims' relatives. A curfew was imposed in parts of Jaipur and the state government of Rajasthan had ordered all units of police to maintain extra vigilance across the state. The Government of India deployed several units of the elite National Security Guards
National Security Guards
The National Security Guard is a Special Response Unit in India that has primarily been utilized for counter-terrorism activities and was created by the Cabinet Secretariat under the National Security Guard Act of the Indian Parliament in 1986...
in Jaipur to aid the law and order forces in the city. 400 men from Rapid Action Force
Rapid Action Force
The Rapid Action Force is a specialised wing of the Indian CRPF . It was established on 11 December 1991 and became fully operational in October 1992, to deal with riots & related unrest...
were also sent. A few hours after the blasts, India declared high alert across several major Indian cities including Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
(Bombay) and Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
(Madras). Security in other major Indian tourist destinations like Panaji and Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
was also increased. Delhi Police also sent a team to Jaipur to check whether the terrorist attacks there had any links with previous terrorists attacks in Delhi.
Investigations
India ordered an inquiry into the blasts while the Indian Home Ministry raised concerns that certain 'foreign elements' might be behind the bombings. The police has found credible evidence linking the bombing suspects to Bangladesh-based militants. Consequently, Rajasthan state government took severe measures against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the state.Four people were detained for questioning by Rajasthan police regarding the blasts. A lead has already been traced by the police. Initial police investigations suggested the involvement of several Islamic militant organizations like Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
-based Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami is an Islamic fundamentalist organization most active in South Asian countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and India since the early 1990s. It was banned in Bangladesh in 2005. The operational commander of HuJI, Ilyas Kashmiri, was reportedly killed in a U.S. Predator drone...
, Student's Islamic Movement of India or Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
-based Lashkar-e-Toiba
Lashkar-e-Toiba
Lashkar-e-Taiba – also transliterated as Lashkar-i-Tayyaba, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Lashkar-i-Taiba, Lashkar Taiba or LeT – is one of the largest and most active militant Islamist terrorist organizations in South Asia, operating mainly from Pakistan.It was founded by Hafiz Muhammad...
. Concerns are also being raised about the possible involvement of al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
. In a statement, militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba denied its involvement in the attacks.
Police officials say that the bomb blasts in Jaipur follow patterns similar to those observed during the bomb blasts in Hyderabad and Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
. The Indian Police revealed that the bombs planted were of low intensity but by placing them in highly crowded areas, the terrorists had ensured that the death toll would be high. The Times of India quoted Additional Director General of Rajasthan Police
Rajasthan Police
The Rajasthan Police is the law enforcement agency for the state of Rajasthan in India. The Rajasthan Police has its headquarters in Jaipur, the state capital. The motto of the force is "Sevarth Katibaddhta", which means "Committed to serve".- History :...
officer as saying that the terrorists had planted "highly explosive RDX" with timers on bicycles, a technique which was also used during the terror attacks
23 November 2007 Uttar Pradesh serial blasts
Six consecutive serial blasts rocked Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad courts in Uttar Pradesh on 23 November 2007 afternoon in a span of 25 minutes, in which reportedly many people were killed and several others injured....
in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in November, 2007 (in which the involvement of Bangladesh's Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami is also suspected). The police have also found striking similarity between the Jaipur bombings and Hyderabad bombings
25 August 2007 Hyderabad bombings
The Hyderabad bombings refers to the incident in which two bombs exploded almost simultaneously on 25 August 2007 in Hyderabad, capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The first bomb exploded in Lumbini Amusement Park at 19:45 hrs IST. The second bomb exploded five minutes later at 19:50 in...
. On May 15, a police officer said,
- About 1.5 kg of Neogel with metal ball-bearings was put in boat-shaped wooden cases in Jaipur and Hyderabad. In both cases, timers were used. The similarities in the signatures of the bombs are shocking.
The police said that they had identified the people who had sold bicycles to the attackers. The bicycle sellers said that the bombers spoke Bengali language
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
, adding credibility to police claims that the terrorists might be Bangladeshis. A police official said,
- The employees [of the bicycle shop] have told us that they did not look like Rajasthanis and spoke in broken Hindi. In fact they were speaking Bengali, which has again given rise to speculation that the militants were from a Bangladeshi outfit.
On May 14, the Indian police released a sketch of a suspect. A day later, the police released sketches of three additional suspects. A shop owner in Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
claimed he saw one of the suspects a few days back.
Claim of responsibility
A little-known group Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attacks and sent a video to Aaj TakAaj Tak
Aaj Tak is a 24-hour Hindi news television channel owned by TV Today Network Ltd. Aaj Tak loosely translates as "Till Today" or "Up to the Minute". Watched by some 45 million viewers in India’s cable and satellite universe, Aaj Tak is one of India’s largest privately owned news channels...
via e-mail supposedly featuring the bicycles wrapped with explosives used during the terror attacks. The address from which the e-mail was sent was reported to be "guru_alhindi_jaipur@yahoo.co.uk". News agencies reported that the video showed a serial number on one of the bicycles as '129489'. Police officials confirmed that the bicycle used in Choti Choupad blast had the same serial number. However, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje
Vasundhara Raje
Vasundhara Raje was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan state of India from December 2003 till December 2008. She is the first woman Chief Minister of Rajasthan.- Early life :...
also suggested that a secondary objective of the e-mail could also be to mislead the investigating authorities.
In the e-mail, the group threatened an "open war against India" unless it stops supporting the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on "international issues". It also said that it would "demolish the faith (Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
)" of the "infidels of India".
Domestic reactions
The President of IndiaPresident of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
, Pratibha Patil
Pratibha Patil
Pratibha Devisingh Patil is the 12th President of the Republic of India and first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007, succeeding Dr. A.P.J...
expressed her grief at the loss of lives in the blasts and appealed for calm while the Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
, pledged the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
's support to the state Government of Rajasthan
Government of Rajasthan
The Government of Rajasthan also known as the State Government of Rajasthan, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Rajasthan and its 33 districts...
and the victims' families. The Prime Minister also said:
- The terrorists have the advantage of attacking by stealth but there is no lack of firmness in dealing with this menace. All possible precautions are being taken. It would be premature on my part to comment anything as it will interfere with the investigations.
Singh also defended the Government’s intelligence mechanisms saying the number of cases that the intelligence agencies had anticipated and prevented was "significant". He observed:
- There are many cases where security agencies have foiled attempts. Many cases were anticipated. I don’t want to talk about what they were able to prevent.
Indian Home Minister, Shivraj Patil
Shivraj Patil
Shivraj Vishwanath Patil is an Indian politician and current state Punjab governor and the Administrator of Union Territory of Chandigarh. Previously he had been the Speaker of the 11th Lok Sabha and served the Manmohan Singh cabinet as the Union Minister of Home Affairs...
, conveyed his condolences to the victims' families. The Government of India announced 100,000 INR
INR
- Codes :INR is:* the ISO 4217 currency code of the Indian rupee * the Federal Aviation Administration location identifier of the McKinley National Park Airport, McKinley Park, Alaska, United States...
compensation to the next kin of those dead in the terrorist attacks and 50,000 INR ex gratia to those seriously injured. An emergency meeting of Indian cabinet ministers was also held later during the day. Foreign Minister of India, Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Kumar Mukherjee is the current Finance Minister of India and leader of the current Lok Sabha.Mukherjee is a senior member of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Parliamentary Affairs, Political Affairs, Prices, Security, Unique Identification Authority of India,...
, said he was going to raise the issue of 'cross-border terrorism' with Pakistan's government during his visit to Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
next week. Indian Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram
P. Chidambaram
P. Chidambaram or Chidambaram Palaniappan, sometimes written Palaniappan Chidambaram is an Indian politician with the Indian National Congress and present Union Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of India. Previously he was the Finance Minister of India from May 2004 to November 2008...
, said that the blasts won't affect India's business climate. India's National Security Advisor
National Security Advisor
A National Security Advisor serves as the chief advisor to a national government on matters of security. He or she is not usually a member of the Cabinet but is usually a member of various military or security councils....
, M.K. Narayanan, said that the intelligence agencies were looking into all possible aspects of the blasts and no major breakthrough in ongoing investigations were made.
The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje
Vasundhara Raje
Vasundhara Raje was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan state of India from December 2003 till December 2008. She is the first woman Chief Minister of Rajasthan.- Early life :...
, said "I condemn this blast. They have tried to ruin the communal harmony of the state but they will not succeed. Never in the history of Rajasthan such a heinous incident has happened and this is not an attack on the state but on the nation". She also added, "there are some slender leads on which the state agencies are working and its difficult to name any terror outfit at present". The Chief Minister also laid emphasis on a new anti-terror legislation either similar to POTA
POTA
POTA may refer to:*Port of the Americas *Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act*Planet of the Apes *Prevention of Terrorist Act, India...
or to the one in the neighbouring state of Gujarat. She also criticised the President of India for not signing an anti-terror bill passed by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly or the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated in Jaipur — the capital of the state. Members of the Legislative assembly are directly elected by the people. Presently, the legislative assembly...
in 2006. Raje also expressed her concern that the terrorist attacks in Jaipur will negatively affect the tourism industry there. The Chief Minister also said that Rajasthan will have its own anti-terror force and also proposed a joint task force between Indian states.
India's main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BJP), blamed the United Progressive Alliance
United Progressive Alliance
The United Progressive Alliance is a ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the government of India. The coalition is led by the Indian National Congress , which is currently the single largest political party in the Lok Sabha...
(UPA)-government for not taking adequate measures against terrorism in India
Terrorism in India
Terrorism in India is primarily attributable to religious communities and Naxalite radical movements.The regions with long term terrorist activities today are Jammu and Kashmir, Mumbai, Central India and the Seven Sister States...
and re-newed calls for POTA
POTA
POTA may refer to:*Port of the Americas *Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act*Planet of the Apes *Prevention of Terrorist Act, India...
were made. The BJP also demanded that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
should be on international terror watch-list. India's Leader of Opposition, L. K. Advani, said "The blasts are reflective of the states' inability to preempt these strikes." Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi is the current Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat.He was born in a middle class family in Vadnagar; and is a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh since childhood, as also an active politician since early in life. He holds a masters degree in political...
accused the UPA government of adopting double standards on terrorism and said, "The UPA-led government at the Centre should make the people realise that it is committed to curb terrorism spreading in our country."
International reactions
- UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moonBan Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
's spokesman said, "[Ban Ki-moon] strongly condemns such terrorist attacks, and sends his heartfelt sympathies to the Government of India and to the families of the victims."
- President of European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, Jose Manuel Barroso, said "On behalf of the European Commission and on my own behalf, allow me to offer you and the people of India our sincere condolences, and the expression of our deepest sympathy and solidarity with the families of the victims." In a statement the European Union members offered their "deepest condolences to the families of the victims." The EU also added, "These attacks clearly demonstrate that terrorism is a serious threat to all states and to all peoples. No cause, no grievance can justify acts of terrorism."
- President Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
said he "understood India's pain" and that his government stands by the people of India in this hour of tragedy.
- Australian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, "the attack on a democratic, tolerant, open society is repugnant. Australian and Indian law enforcement agencies continue to work together in our common fight against terrorism."
- Foreign Affairs advisor said, "It was a mindless and shameful act that deserves condemnation in the strongest terms. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and sympathies to the Indian authorities. These are terrorists who have done this sordid and heinous deeds, and terrorists have no boundaries." The advisor also said that Indian media reports of linking the attacks to Bangladesh-based HuJI were premature.
- Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier
Maxime Bernier
Maxime Bernier, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper....
said, "On behalf of all Canadians, I extend my condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured. We stand firmly united with the government of India, a proud and strong democracy, in condemning these acts of terror. Among our [India and Canada] mutual priorities is close cooperation to fight terrorism."
- A statement issued by Chile's Foreign Ministry said, "Chile's government would like to convey its deep condolences and expression of solidarity to the Indian authorities and the victims' relatives. Chile expresses its most emphatic repudiation and condemnation of these acts and hopes for the early recuperation of those injured in the attacks."
- President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
expressed his deepest condolences over the "morrow of the blasts that have painfully plunged Jaipur in mourning. France most firmly condemns this barbaric and despicable act. I would like to express the solidarity of my country in the ordeal that you are suffering. France remains by your side in the fight against the scourge of terrorism." Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner
Bernard Kouchner
Bernard Kouchner is a French politician, diplomat, and doctor. He is co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde...
said "I wish to express my indignation and repugnance at the wave of attacks that have plunged the city of Jaipur into mourning. France is more than ever willing to intensify cooperation with India in the anti-terrorist struggle. Today we are at the side of India and the Indian people in the face of this inconceivable horror. We wish to assure the Indian government of our full support."
- Israeli embassy in New Delhi said in a statement that Israel understood the "enormity of the tragedy" and that "Israel extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and its wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured." The Israeli government also said that it was up to the [international] community to act in a "concerted and unified manner" to fight terrorism.
- Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani
Yousaf Raza Gillani
Yousuf Raza Gilani is the current prime minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was nominated as Prime Minister by the PPP, with the support of its coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League , Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on 22 March 2008...
released the following statement, "Pakistan condemns all acts of terrorism and reaffirms its firm commitment to fight this scourge together with the international community." Pakistan also proposed a joint 'anti-terrorism strategy' with India.
- Foreign Ministry spokesman said, "the Chinese government would like to express deep grief over the victims in the terrorist attack and convey sincere condolences to the relatives of the victims and those wounded in the attack. China is firmly opposed to terrorism of any form and is ready to work together with the international community to make unremitting efforts to safeguard world peace and stability."
- Foreign Ministry said, "We share the grief of the Indian people. We extend our condolences to the families of the victims of the attacks as well as to the people and the Government of India. We also wish speedy recovery to those wounded. In this context, Turkey strongly condemns these heinous terrorist attacks which were aimed at disrupting the stability of India."
- Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan said, "UAE strongly condemns the blasts in Jaipur and expressed full solidarity with the government of India in its measures against terrorism."
- Foreign Minister David Miliband
David Miliband
David Wright Miliband is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South Shields since 2001, and was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010. He is the elder son of the late Marxist theorist Ralph Miliband...
said, "Bombings in Jaipur have shown again the horrific destruction which terrorism brings. My thoughts are with the families of the victims and with those injured. There can never be any justification for acts of indiscriminate violence such as these, and I utterly condemn those who have perpetrated Tuesday's attacks. The UK will continue to stand with the government and people of India against terrorism in all its manifestations."
- The US State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
said in a statement, "There is no justification for the murder of innocent people. The United States stands with India in the fight to eliminate the scourge of terrorism." The United States has also offered Indian security and intelligence agencies assistance in probing the attacks.
Effect on IPL
The Indian Premier LeagueIndian Premier League
The Indian Premier League is a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition in India. It was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered in Mumbai, and is supervised by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who serves as the league's Chairman and Commissioner...
(IPL) donated Rs.
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
60 million (US$1.4 million) to the Chief Minister relief fund. Each of the eight IPL teams donated 5 million INR while each of the five official sponsors donated an additional 4 million INR. Jaipur's local IPL team, Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals is an Indian Premier League franchise based on the city of the Jaipur captained and coached by former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne.They were the champions of the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League...
, demanded extra security, to which IPL management agreed. All the IPL matches scheduled for Jaipur were temporarily put on hold but IPL Chairman, Lalit Modi
Lalit Modi
Lalit Kumar Modi, is the former architect of the Indian Premier League.Best known for his stint as the Chairman and Commissioner of the Indian Premier League and the Chairman of the Champions League, between 2008 and 2010, he has also occupied the roles of Vice President of the Board of Control...
, confirmed that Jaipur will host the Rajasthan Royals' match on Saturday. Modi also said that carry-on bags were banned at all venues where the IPL matches are to be played.
See also
- List of terrorist incidents, 2008
- Bangalore bombings
- 2008 Ahmedabad bombings
- 13 September 2008 Delhi bombings13 September 2008 Delhi bombingsThe 13 September 2008 Delhi bombings were a series of five synchronised bomb blasts that took place within a span of few minutes on Saturday, 13 September 2008 at various locations in Delhi, India...
- 27 September 2008 Delhi blast27 September 2008 Delhi blastThe 27 September 2008 Delhi blast in India’s second largest metropolis left three people dead and twenty-three more injured. The explosion occurred at 14:15 IST, in Mehrauli’s flower market. Initially, there were reports of two persons, including a nine-year-old boy, being killed in the attack....
- 29 September 2008 western India bombings29 September 2008 western India bombingsIn the 29 September 2008 Western India bombings, three bombs exploded in the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra of India killing 8 persons and injuring 80...