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{{Short description|Terrorist bombing attack in Varanasi, India}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}

{{Infobox terrorist attack
|title=2010 Varanasi bombing
|location=Varanasi, India
|target=Sheetla Ghat
|date=7 December 2010
|time=18:20 IST
|timezone=[[UTC+05:30]]
|type=[[Bombing]]
|fatalities=2
|injuries=38
|perps=[[Indian Mujahideen]]
}}
{{Terrorist attacks in India (since 2001)}}

The '''2010 Varanasi bombing''' was a [[bombing|blast]] that occurred on 7 December 2010, in one of the holiest [[Hindu]] cities, [[Varanasi]]. The explosion occurred at Sheetla Ghat, adjacent to the main [[Dashashwamedh Ghat]], where the sunset ''[[aarti]]'', the evening prayer ritual to the [[holy river]], [[Ganges]] had commenced, on these stone steps leading to it, where thousands of worshipers and tourists had gathered.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="bg">{{cite news|url=https://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2010/12/08/lethal_blast_starts_stampede_in_india/|title=Lethal blast starts stampede in India|date=8 December 2010|agency=Associated Press| access-date= 9 December 2010 }}</ref> It killed two people including a two-year-old girl who was sitting on her mother's lap. The mother was one of three critically injured out of the 38 injured. In the ensuing panic after the blast, a railing broke causing a stampede leading to an increase in the number of injuries.<ref name="bg"/> The bomb was hidden inside a milk container on the Sheetla Ghat.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7329201.html|title=Police question brothers in India holy city blast|date=7 December 2010|work=Houston Chronicle| access-date= 9 December 2010 }}</ref> The blast occurred a day after the anniversary of the 1992 [[Babri Masjid demolition]], in which a mosque was demolished at [[Ayodhya]] leading to nationwide religious riots killing over 2,000 people. Subsequently, the [[Islamist]] militant group, [[Indian Mujahideen]], claimed responsibility of the blast, via email to Indian media. This was the second terrorism-related incident in the city which was rocked by the [[2006 Varanasi bombings|serial blasts of 2006]], in which 28 people were killed, it included an explosion at the [[Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, Varanasi|Sankatmochan Temple]], some two kilometres away.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="Joyson">[http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/07/india.explosion/?hpt=T2 2010 Varanasi bomb blast ] ''[[CNN]]'', 7 December 2010.</ref><ref name=cs>{{cite news|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/1207/Explosion-rocks-one-of-India-s-holiest-cities |title=Explosion rocks one of India's holiest cities |date=7 December 2010 |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |access-date=9 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120071649/http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/1207/Explosion-rocks-one-of-India-s-holiest-cities |archive-date=20 January 2011 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}</ref>

Sitala Ghat is the southern extension of the [[Dashashwamedh Ghat]], and its stone steps lead to Sitala Mata Temple. Also close by is the historic [[Kashi Vishwanath Temple]], the Shiva temple which has one of the 12 [[Jyotirlinga]] of India. The present ghat was re-furbished in c. 1740 by Pt. Narayana Diksit the preceptor of [[Peshwa]] [[Baji Rao I]], the Prime Minister of the [[Maratha Empire]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://varanasi.nic.in/ghat/ghat21-40.html|title=Ghats of Varanasi – 40: Sitala Ghat|publisher=[[Varanasi]] Official website|access-date=10 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716223537/http://varanasi.nic.in/ghat/ghat21-40.html|archive-date=16 July 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
[[Image:WikiprojectIndiacities varanasi.png|right|thumb|150px|Location of [[Varanasi]] in India]]

==Aftermath==
[[File:Ganga Aarti at Varanasi ghats.jpg|thumb|210px|Evening ''[[Ganges|Ganga]] [[Aarti]]'' at the adjacent [[Dashashwamedh Ghat]], [[Varanasi]] in 2008, with people watching from the steps above.]]
After the incident 20 injured were admitted to [[Banaras Hindu University|BHU Hospital]], 13 in Kabir Chaura Hospital, while 4 were sent to Heritage Hospital in the city. Six foreigners tourist were also injured including an Italian, Alessandro Mantelli, who was later said to be out of danger, French national Rachael, Ki Taro from Japan, South Korean Wan Sen Kim, Italian Livio DiMajo and a German citizen, Ozel.<ref name="ze">{{cite news|url=http://www.zeenews.com/news673011.html|title=Terror strikes Varanasi: 1 killed|date=8 December 2010|publisher=[[Zee News]]| access-date= 15 December 2010 }}</ref> The death of the Italian tourist was wrongly reported in some media agencies, while he was recuperating in a city hospital.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/specials/cwg/Story/122574/varanasi-blast-triggers-a-blame-game.html|title=Varanasi blast triggers a blame game|date=9 December 2010|work=[[India Today]]|access-date=15 December 2010 |archive-date=8 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208184458/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/specials/cwg/Story/122574/varanasi-blast-triggers-a-blame-game.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Pakistan-based [[Islamist]] militant group, [[Indian Mujahideen]], via email.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/world/asia/08bomb.html |title=India on Alert as Bomb Hits Hindu Holy City |date=7 December 2010 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=9 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120121843/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/world/asia/08bomb.html |archive-date=20 January 2011 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101213015318/http://sify.com/news/pakistan-based-indian-mujahideen-behind-varanasi-attack-india-news-international-kmjxaheaejg.html Pakistan-based Indian Mujahideen behind Varanasi attack: India] ''[[Sify.com]]'', 9 December 2010.</ref><ref name="Prabhu">[http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=53415 Child killed, 20 injured in Varanasi blast: IM claims responsibility]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Central Chronicle'', 7 December 2010.</ref> In an email, dated 6 December, which was traced to [[WiFi]] connections in the [[Vashi]] suburb in [[Navi Mumbai]] by the Mumbai Police, the Indian Mujahideen claimed that had carried out the blast as a revenge for the supposedly "biased" [[Babri Masjid]] [[Ayodhya debate#Timeline of the debate|verdict of 30 September 2010]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/IM-sends-email---biased--Babri-verdict-its-theme/721703|title=IM sends email, 'biased' Babri verdict its theme|date=8 December 2010|work=[[The Indian Express]]| access-date= 9 December 2010 }}</ref><ref name="ht">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/IM-claims-blast-says-it-s-retaliation-for-Babri-verdict/H1-Article1-635634.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210053633/http://www.hindustantimes.com/IM-claims-blast-says-it-s-retaliation-for-Babri-verdict/H1-Article1-635634.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 December 2010|title=IM claims blast, says it's retaliation for Babri verdict|date=7 December 2010|work=[[Hindustan Times]]| access-date= 9 December 2010 }}</ref><ref name="exb">{{cite news|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Varanasi-blast-Terror-mail-traced-to-Vashi-Dr-Shahnawaz-main-suspect/721924/|title=Varanasi blast: Mail from Vashi suggests IM alive in Mumbai|date=8 December 2010|work=The Indian Express|access-date=10 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010224021/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Varanasi-blast-Terror-mail-traced-to-Vashi-Dr-Shahnawaz-main-suspect/721924/|archive-date=10 October 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The bomb blast occurred at one of the steps of the Sitala ghat leading to the famous Sheetla Devi temple, which was surrounded by devotees and foreign tourists. After the incident the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh [[Mayawati]] and Union Minister of Home Affairs [[P. Chidambaram]] visited the site, and appealed for peace. A national security alert was sounded and police intensified patrols in major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.<ref name="nyt"/> Elsewhere in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] and Cyberabad the intelligence alerted local police on possible attacks on Dutch nationals in the city, after intercepting SMSs opposing the anti-Islam Dutch film ''[[Fitna (film)|Fitna]]'' (Devilry) by Dutch politician [[Geert Wilders]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Terror-alert-against-attack-on-Dutch-nationals/articleshow/7073533.cms|title=Terror alert against attack on Dutch nationals? TNN|date=10 December 2010|work=The Times of India| access-date= 10 December 2010 }}</ref>

On 11 December, a 50-year-old woman, visiting the town to watch the ''[[Ganges|Ganga]] [[Aarti]]'' on the Dasashwamedh Ghat, succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Varanasi-blast-victim-succumbs/articleshow/7085941.cms|title=Varanasi blast victim succumbs|date=12 December 2010|work=The Times of India| access-date= 15 December 2010 }}</ref>

==Investigations==
The following day, [[Mumbai Police]] investigations showed that Pakistan-based Bhatkal brothers, Riyaz and Iqbal, the chiefs of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) being the brains behind the explosion, which was carried out by Dr Shahnawaz presently based both in Dubai and Pakistan. He is the brother of IM foot soldier Mohammed Saif, who was arrested in the [[Batla House encounter]] on 19 September 2008 in which IM commander Atiq Amin was killed, while Dr Shahnawaz along with Khalid, Abu Rashid and Bada Sajid or Mohammed Sajid had fled to Nepal and now hold Nepalese passports.<ref name="exb"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/varanasi-blast-terror-mail-traced-to-vashi;-dr-shahnawaz-main-suspect/721924/|title=Varanasi blast: Dr Shahnawaz, Bhatkal brothers emerge as main suspects after mail traced to Vashi|date=8 December 2010|work=The Indian Express| access-date= 10 December 2010 }}</ref>

On 8 December, three people, two identified as Shahnawaz and Assadullah, were arrested by the [[Uttar Pradesh]] state Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) and are linked to the [[13 September 2008 Delhi bombings|Delhi serial blasts]] as well as the [[Batla House encounter]], both in 2008. The arrests suggested the revival of the Indian Mujahiddin terror outfit, which was dormant after the last encounter in 2008, a fact that is worrisome both for the state as well as the central government. The group however was previously suspected to be involved in the September [[2010 Jama Masjid attack]], in which two tourists were wounded in a machine gun attack, just before the [[2010 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Delhi]].<ref name=cs/><ref name="cn">{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/varanasi-blast-reemergence-of-im-worries-govt/136914-3.html?from=tn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013220901/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/varanasi-blast-reemergence-of-im-worries-govt/136914-3.html?from=tn|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 October 2012|title=Varanasi blast: re-emergence of IM worries govt|date=9 December 2010|publisher=[[CNN-IBN]]| access-date= 9 December 2010 }}</ref>

In the subsequent investigations at the site, which was cordoned off soon after the incident and screened by the investigating agencies, [[improvised explosive device]] (IED) was recovered from a metal dustbin, though no residue of the explosives, remains of any circuit or detonator were found, the device did not have [[Shrapnel shell|shrapnel]] in it, thus there were no burn or shrapnel injuries, and all the injured were hit by pieces of wall that broke following the explosion, all suggesting the use of [[plastique]] explosive, [[PETN]], [[TNT]] or [[C-4 (explosive)|C4]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Varanasi-blast-marks-arrival-of-plastic-bombs/articleshow/7090386.cms|title=Varanasi blast marks arrival of plastic bombs|date=13 December 2010|work=The Times of India| access-date= 15 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/No-shrapnels-in-Varanasi-bomb-Police/articleshow/7064110.cms|title=No shrapnels in Varanasi bomb: Police|date=8 December 2010|work=The Times of India| access-date= 15 December 2010 }}</ref> Early results revealed used of [[Semtex]], a general-purpose plastic explosive containing [[RDX]] and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN); however, the final report of the Forensic Science Institute, Gujarat is awaited.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/IM-used-Semtex-in-Varanasi-blast-Report/articleshow/7085947.cms|title=IM used Semtex in Varanasi blast: Report|date=12 December 2010|work=The Times of India| access-date= 15 December 2010 }}</ref>

A writer for ''[[The Diplomat (magazine)|The Diplomat]]'' suggested that the blast not having occurred on the anniversary of Babri Mosque destruction on 6 December, and the shoddy design of the attack, were indicative of the weakening of the Indian Mujahideen due to police action.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thediplomat.com/indian-decade/2010/12/20/signals-from-the-varanasi-blast/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721153626/http://thediplomat.com/indian-decade/2010/12/20/signals-from-the-varanasi-blast/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 July 2012 |title=Signals From the Varanasi Blast |author=Rajeev Sharma |date=20 December 2010 |work=[[The Diplomat (magazine)|The Diplomat]] |access-date=20 December 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/2876.html Photo Gallery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208211733/http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/2876.html |date=8 December 2010 }}. IBNLive.
* [http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/varanasi-blast-caught-on-camera/180342 Varanasi blast: Caught on camera] at ''[[NDTV]]''

{{Varanasi division topics}}
{{Islamic terrorism in Asia}}
{{coord missing|Uttar Pradesh}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Varanasi bombing}}
[[Category:2010 murders in India]]
[[Category:Religious building bombings in India]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:December 2010 crimes in Asia]]
[[Category:December 2010 in India]]
[[Category:Filmed improvised explosive device bombings]]
[[Category:History of Varanasi]]
[[Category:Attacks on Hindu temples in India]]
[[Category:Indian Mujahideen attacks]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorism in India]]
[[Category:Manmohan Singh administration]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in India in 2010]]
[[Category:2010 building bombings]]
[[Category:2010s in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Hindu temple bombings]]

2010 Varanasi bombing - Revision history

Udesign at 18:14, 30 November 2025