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{{Short description|Bombing of a Hindu temple in Varanasi, India by Islamic terrorists}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{cleanup reorganize|date=February 2015}}

{{Infobox terrorist attack
|title = 2006 Varanasi bombings
|location = [[Varanasi]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
|target = [[Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple (Varanasi)|Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple]] and [[Varanasi Cantonment Railway Station]]
|date = 7 March 2006
|time = 18:20 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
|timezone = [[UTC+05:30]]
|type = [[Bombing]]
|fatalities = 28
|injuries = 101
|perps = Lashkar-e Qahab
}}

In March 2006, the Indian city of [[Varanasi]] witnessed a series of bombings in which at least 28 people were reportedly killed and 101 injured. Varanasi is considered holy by [[Hindus]] and is one of the [[List of oldest continuously inhabited cities|oldest living cities in the world]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1591852/posts |title=Terror strikes Varanasi: 28 killed, no claim yet |newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023003456/http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1591852/posts |archive-date=23 October 2014 }}</ref> In June 2022, after 16 years of hearing, [[Ghaziabad]] district and sessions court convicted the mastermind and terrorist Waliullah Khan and sentenced him to death.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 6, 2022 |first=Shafaque |last=Alam |title=waliullah: 2006 Varanasi serial blasts case: Main accused Waliullah sentenced to death, life imprisonment |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ghaziabad/2006-varanasi-serial-blasts-case-main-accused-waliullah-sentenced-to-death-life-imprisonment/articleshow/92039633.cms |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=16 Years After Varanasi Blasts, Mastermind And Terrorist Convicted |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/16-years-after-varanasi-blasts-mastermind-and-terrorist-convicted-3039092 |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dasgupta |first=Victor |title=2006 Varanasi Serial Blasts Convicted Terrorist Waliullah Khan Sentenced to Death |url=https://www.india.com/news/india/2006-varanasi-serial-blasts-convicted-terrorist-waliullah-khan-sentenced-to-death-penalty-life-imprisonment-5436964/ |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=www.india.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Blasts==
[[File:Varanasi blasts map.PNG|right|thumb|225px|Map of blast locations]]

===Blast at the Temple===
The blasts occurred nearly simultaneously shortly after 18:00 IST. The first blast took place at 18:20 at the crowded [[Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple (Varanasi)|Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple]] near the [[Banaras Hindu University]]. Hundreds of pilgrims were in temple as it was a Tuesday, believed to be particularly holy by the devotees of Lord [[Hanuman]], a deity at the temple. The bomb was placed in a container near a gate at the temple where women usually sit.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060308/asp/frontpage/story_5941755.asp |newspaper=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]] |title=Serial blasts in Varanasi |date=8 March 2006 |access-date=8 March 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021000337/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060308/asp/frontpage/story_5941755.asp |archive-date=21 October 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref> It claimed 10 lives and injured 40.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/bomb-blasts-rock-varanasi-21-killed/article3161347.ece|title=Bomb blasts rock Varanasi, 21 killed|work=The Hindu|access-date=2017-06-05|language=en}}</ref>

===Blast at the station===

One other blast followed at the [[Varanasi Cantonment Railway Station]]. It occurred in the waiting area next to the travel office. Initially another blast was reported inside the stationary [[Shiv Ganga Express]] bound for [[Delhi]]; however, this was later discounted. The [[Shiv Ganga Express]] departure was delayed by 2 hours, eventually arriving in Delhi 4 hours late but intact. Six bombs were reported defused from other areas in the city, including a restaurant frequented by foreigners, in the vicinity of the railway station.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/03/07/india.blasts/index.html |title=India rail, temple blasts kill 14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218052846/http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/03/07/india.blasts/index.html |archive-date=18 December 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref> It claimed 11 lives and injured 20.<ref name="auto"/>

==Timing of the blasts==
It is estimated that the date and time of the explosions were selected for causing maximum damage. The [[Central Board of Secondary Education|CBSE]] and [[Indian School Certificate|ISC]] Examinations (India's school leaving examinations) were in progress and therefore there were many students and worshippers at the temple when the bombs exploded during the [[Aarti]] ceremony. Tuesday was also a holy day of the deity at the temple. It is further conjectured that the bomb at the railway station was orchestrated to coincide with the throng of passengers waiting for Shiv Ganga express.

==Rescue and relief operations==
*The railway ministry announced ex-gratia of IN Rs {{formatnum:100000}} to the next of kin of those who died in the explosion at the Cantonment railway station in Varanasi.
*Seriously injured would be sanctioned IN Rs 25,000 each while those with minor injuries will get IN Rs 1,000 each.
*The railway ministry would bear all expenses of food, medicine and accommodation of the injured persons during the period of treatment.

==Investigation==
Pakistan-based [[Lashkar-e-Taiba]] militant outfit, whose member was shot dead in an encounter with police near [[Lucknow]] on Wednesday, were prima facie behind the blasts in Varanasi, a senior Uttar Pradesh government official said in Varanasi on Wednesday.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/09up.htm |work=Rediff |title=Lashkar behind blasts: UP official |date=10 March 2006 |access-date=10 March 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703201047/http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/09up.htm |archive-date=3 July 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

Uttar Pradesh, Chief Secretary, Mr. Sinha said bombs were made in [[Bihar]]. The material to make bombs was procured in Nepal which was then smuggled across the porous Indo-Nepal border.

==Official response==
[[Indian Prime Minister]] [[Manmohan Singh]] condemned the blasts and appealed for calm.
A state of high alert was declared in India's major cities. Police were sent to all major places of worship in New Delhi. India's [[Cabinet Committee on Security]] met in emergency session. Varanasi shut down Wednesday to protest the blasts; shops and businesses closed, and authorities closed schools and colleges.<ref>{{cite news|title=Varanasi shut down Wednesday to protest the blasts|url=http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-03-08T091503Z_01_DEL332313_RTRUKOC_0_US-INDIA.xml|work=[[Reuters]]|access-date=9 March 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050620200549/http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews|archive-date=20 June 2005|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It reopened on 9 March.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2006-03-09-voa16/399900.html |agency=[[Voice of America]] |title=India's Holy City Hums with Life as Kashmiri Group Claims Responsibility |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140803005805/http://www.voanews.com/content/a-13-2006-03-09-voa16/399900.html |archive-date=3 August 2014 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}</ref>

[[Uttar Pradesh]] Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, claimed that UP Police killed one of the suspected Pakistani involved who turned out to be a resident of Madhya Pradesh, but he was part of Lashkar-e Taiba Islamic group and police were on the lookout for him in context of Delhi blasts of 2005.

==Reactions==

===Domestic===
The Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh condemned the blasts and appealed for calm. A state of high alert was declared in India's major cities. Police were sent to all major places of worship in New Delhi. India's Cabinet Committee on Security met in emergency session. Varanasi shut down Wednesday to protest the blasts; shops and businesses closed, and authorities closed schools and colleges.[5] It reopened on 9 March.[6]

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, claimed that UP Police killed one of the suspected Pakistani involved who turned out to be a resident of Madhya Pradesh, but he was part of Lashkar-e Toiba Islamic group and police were on the lookout for him in context of Delhi blasts of 2005.

==Suspects==
A little known group calling itself the Lashkar-e Kahar/Qahab has claimed responsibility for the attacks.<ref>{{cite news|first=Sheela |last=Bhatt |author2=Ahmad, Mukhtar |date=9 March 2006 |url=http://ia.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/09varanasi.htm |title=Little known group owns up Varanasi blasts |website=[[Rediff.com]] |access-date=4 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228192041/http://ia.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/09varanasi.htm |archive-date=28 February 2014 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}</ref> A spokesperson for the group who identified himself as Abdullah Jabbar alias Abu Feroz called a local news agency in Srinagar on Thursday morning to claim responsibility for the blasts and threatened similar attacks in other cities unless the government stopped its "catch and kill" campaign in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. A staff of the TV channel said that Feroz spoke in [[Urdu]] with a heavy [[Punjab region|Punjabi]] accent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-03-09/india/27822334_1_varanasi-blasts-twin-blasts-outfit |title=Aftermath: Lashkar-e-Qahab owns up for Varanasi blasts |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |agency=[[Press Trust of India]] |date=9 March 2006 |access-date=9 March 2006 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716031213/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-03-09/india/27822334_1_varanasi-blasts-twin-blasts-outfit |archive-date=16 July 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref> It is speculated that the bombings were carried out in retaliation of the arrest of a [[Lashkar-e-Toiba]] agent in [[Varanasi]] earlier in February 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pradhan |first=Sharat |date=6 March 2008 |title=2 blasts rock Varanasi; 20 dead |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/07up.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809032928/http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/07up.htm |archivedate=9 August 2016 |website=Rediff}}</ref> Some analysts see a connection between the bombings and Hindu-Muslim clashes in the city of [[Lucknow]] on 4 March 2006 that left four people dead. These clashes started because of protests against the President of the United States [[George W. Bush]]'s India visit.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lancaster |first=John |date=8 March 2006 |title=Temple, Station Attacked in India |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/07/AR2006030700961.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> It is also believed that these attacks were a part of a series which included an [[2005 Indian Institute of Science shooting|attack at the IISc, Bangalore]] and also at the [[Akshardham Temple attack|Akshardham Temple, Gujarat]].

==See also==
*[[2010 Varanasi bombing]]
*[[List of massacres in India]]

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{US War on Terror}}
{{Terrorist attacks in India (since 2001)}}
{{Varanasi division topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Varanasi Bombings}}

[[Category:21st-century mass murders in India]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in India in 2006]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents on railway systems in India]]
[[Category:Attacks on Hindu temples in India]]
[[Category:2006 mass murders]]
[[Category:Religious building bombings in India]]
[[Category:2000s in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:History of Varanasi]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorism in India]]
[[Category:Murder in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2006]]
[[Category:March 2006 in India]]
[[Category:Hindu temple bombings]]
[[Category:2006 building bombings]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in 2006]]
[[Category:Railway accidents and incidents in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Attacks on railway stations in Asia]]
[[Category:March 2006 crimes in Asia]]

2006 Varanasi bombings - Revision history

Imteenu at 10:19, 14 December 2025