Hindustan Times : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday announced Rs. 10 lakh reward for information that would lead to the Mahabodhi temple and Bodh Gaya bombers even as Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said several leads were being pursued.
"Until the leads are followed up comprehensively, analysed and facts are put together, nothing can be said with finality," Shinde said, as a breakthrough eluded investigators three days after the serial blasts.
Terror struck Mahabodhi temple, one of the holiest Buddhist shrines, and other places in Bodh Gaya - about 140 km southwest of capital Patna - on Sunday following 10 blasts between 5.30 and 5.58am.
"They must have kept (bombs) at night. We are conducting complete investigations. Three-four persons may be involved... with a car. We are conducting detailed investigations," Shinde said.
"Our goal is to reach the actual perpetrators and not apportion blame on one or the other before arriving at a conclusion," Shinde said.
He added the probe teams would look into how the security of the temple, a UNESCO world heritage site, was breached despite intelligence alerts to the Bihar government.
"Several alerts were issued, the last one on July 3, following which the range DIG, had reviewed the security of the complex and issued instructions," the home minister said, adding no angle had been ruled out in the bombings.
"The issue is complex. It could have been carried out by anyone - terror groups, Maoists. There are other issues such as communal disturbances. That is why the Centre rushed in both the NIA and the National Security Guard."
Shinde said central agencies had completely taken over the probe into the terror attack in the Buddhist pilgrimage town in south central Bihar following a request from chief minister Nitish Kumar to hand over the case to the NIA.
On Kumar's request to hand over security of the Mahabodhi temple to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Shinde said it would have to be considered in the larger perspective.
"CISF security has not yet been granted for religious sites. If we accede to this request, there will be other such requests. Such security was requested earlier by the Shirdi Temple Trust and the Jama Masjid in Delhi. We will study the issue, before making a decision."
Shinde, who arrived at Bodh Gaya airport around 11am with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, drove straight to the temple, where he was briefed on the status of investigations.
Meanwhile, the Bihar Police released four persons including a woman who were picked up for questioning in Patna on Tuesday.
"There was nothing to implicate them and we were satisfied with their replies during questioning. There is nothing more to it," said Gaya senior superintendent of police Ganesh Kumar.
"Until the leads are followed up comprehensively, analysed and facts are put together, nothing can be said with finality," Shinde said, as a breakthrough eluded investigators three days after the serial blasts.
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| Bodh Gaya blasts |
Terror struck Mahabodhi temple, one of the holiest Buddhist shrines, and other places in Bodh Gaya - about 140 km southwest of capital Patna - on Sunday following 10 blasts between 5.30 and 5.58am.
"They must have kept (bombs) at night. We are conducting complete investigations. Three-four persons may be involved... with a car. We are conducting detailed investigations," Shinde said.
"Our goal is to reach the actual perpetrators and not apportion blame on one or the other before arriving at a conclusion," Shinde said.
He added the probe teams would look into how the security of the temple, a UNESCO world heritage site, was breached despite intelligence alerts to the Bihar government.
"Several alerts were issued, the last one on July 3, following which the range DIG, had reviewed the security of the complex and issued instructions," the home minister said, adding no angle had been ruled out in the bombings.
"The issue is complex. It could have been carried out by anyone - terror groups, Maoists. There are other issues such as communal disturbances. That is why the Centre rushed in both the NIA and the National Security Guard."
Shinde said central agencies had completely taken over the probe into the terror attack in the Buddhist pilgrimage town in south central Bihar following a request from chief minister Nitish Kumar to hand over the case to the NIA.
On Kumar's request to hand over security of the Mahabodhi temple to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Shinde said it would have to be considered in the larger perspective.
"CISF security has not yet been granted for religious sites. If we accede to this request, there will be other such requests. Such security was requested earlier by the Shirdi Temple Trust and the Jama Masjid in Delhi. We will study the issue, before making a decision."
Shinde, who arrived at Bodh Gaya airport around 11am with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, drove straight to the temple, where he was briefed on the status of investigations.
Meanwhile, the Bihar Police released four persons including a woman who were picked up for questioning in Patna on Tuesday.
"There was nothing to implicate them and we were satisfied with their replies during questioning. There is nothing more to it," said Gaya senior superintendent of police Ganesh Kumar.
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