One of the holiest cities in India, Varanasi [previously called Benares] witnessed horrific blasting four years after it witnessed another scarring attack. A blast on Sheetla Ghat, adjacent to the main Dashashwamedh Ghat rocked the city on December 7, 2010.
Militant group Indian Mujahideen claimed the responsibility of the blast which had triggered nationwide communal violence leading to over 1000 people's deaths.
What had transpired?
On December 7, 2010, a day after the anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition, a bomb blast rocked Sheetla Ghat which s adjacent to the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and main ghat.
In this blast a two-year-old child was killed while another woman succumbed to her injuries four days later on December 11. More than 40, including six foreigners were injured. Among them 20 were admitted to BHU Hospital while another 13 in Kabir Chaura hospital and four in Heritage Hospital.
The bomb was reportedly hidden inside a milk container.
Aftermath of the blast
In the aftermath, a stampede broke out in the ghat region which had led to a drstic increase in the number of injured persons. It had also led to communal violence in India which nearly killed 2,000 people.
The blast had raised concerns over the security and a national alert was sounded. Police patrolling in major cities like Mumbai, New Delhi etc was undertaken.
Mujahideen claimed responsibility
Pakistan-based militant group Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility of the attack via an email. In a mail dated December 6, traced by the officials, the terror outfit had claimed that this blast was 'revenge' for the allegedly biased Babri Masjid verdict of September 30, 2010. The mail was traced to a connection in Vashi area of Navi Mumbai.
