BANGLADESH’s JMB terrorists were planning to attack the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Bihar’s Bodh Gaya this year in cahoot with Indian Mujahideen, top Indian and Bangladesh intelligence officials said on Monday.
They were planning to carry out a fidayeen attack at Bodh Gaya to avenge “atrocities” against Muslims in Myanmar, they said.
■ Syed Maqbool | Special Arrangement
Leads provided by Bangladesh’s counter-terrorism unit had helped India thwart the planned hit on Dalai Lama and led to several arrests including one Syed Maqbool, a resident of Maharashtra’s Nanded whom police claimed is the district president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM). The AIMIM has an MP in Lok Sabha.
Maqbool, a fruit seller had allegedly taught suspected IM terrorists how to rig up IEDs.
Two bombs were found from the Bodh Gaya pilgrimage centre in January following a small explosion-like sound amid stringent security measures in view of the Dalai Lama’s stay, a top police official said.
The bombs were found from the vicinity of the Kalachakra ground during an intensive combing operation by a police team led by DIG (Patna Range) Vinay Kumar, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Patna Zone, N H Khan said.
Thirteen policemen deployed to guard Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama at Bodh Gaya were suspended for alleged negligence on Jan 3 this year.
Leads provided by Bangladesh’s counter-terrorism unit had helped India thwart the planned hit on Dalai Lama and led to several arrests including one Syed Maqbool, a resident of Maharashtra’s Nanded whom police claimed is the district president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM)
Gaya senior superintendent of police Garima Malik, responsible for the security arrangements for the Dalai Lama, took the action after the 13 policemen went missing from their assigned positions. The police officer told media persons that she will tolerate no lapse in security arrangements for the Nobel Peace Prize winner.
The suspended police personnel were identified as sub-inspectors Chhotu Prasad Chaudhary and Mani Bhusan Paswan; assistant sub-inspector Lallan Razak; and constables Vinay Kumar, Prashant Kumar, Upendra Prasad, Ranjan Kumar, Shweta Kumari, Anjali Sharma, Kauleshwar Paswan, Shobha Kumari, Punam Azad and Anjali Asmita.
■ The Dalai Lama greeting members of the audience as he arrives at the Kalachakra Maidan in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India on January 21, 2018 | L Tsering
The Tibetan spiritual leader has been provided Z-plus protection by the Centre as well as the Bihar government during his stay in the state. The step was taken in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Union ministry of home affairs.
The Tibetan spiritual leader has been provided Z-plus protection by the Centre as well as the Bihar government during his stay in the state
The Dalai Lama arrived at Bodh Gaya, 110 km south of Patna, for a month-long stay on Ist Jan this year. He addressed over 50,000 disciples from places across the world at Kalchakra Maidan in two sessions, from January 5 to 7 and January 14 to 16. He also attended the opening function of the three-day Bodh Mahotsav on February 1.
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) stepped up security around the Tibetan monastery, where the Dalai Lama resides during his visits to the Buddhist pilgrimage centre. CTA officials expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements, and praised Malik’s efforts in particular.
Bodh Gaya witnessed a terror attack, with nine serial explosions targeting the Mahabodhi temple complex, in July 2013.
Indian intelligence suspects there could be a Sino-Pakistani connection in this plot because the JMB and IM maintain close liaison with Pakistan’s ISI, which would plan a hit on Dalai Lama only if prodded by the Chinese.
LOOKEAST (https://lookeast.in/) had earlier reported on the Pakistani link behind the ARSA’s attack on 30 police stations in Rakhine and an assassination attempt on Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina – a grand ISI plan to render the Bangladesh headless and in deep crisis in the borderlands with Myanmar, even as China could use the Rohingya refugee crisis to make the Suu Kyi government totally dependent on itself. ■
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