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{{Infobox terrorist attack
|title=''2013 Patna bombings''
|image= 2013 Patna attacks.JPG
|image_size= 250px
|caption=Map of the 2013 Patna attacks
|location=
* [[Patna Junction railway station]]
* Multiple locations at [[Gandhi Maidan Marg]], [[Patna]], [[Bihar]], [[India]]
|coordinates ={{coord|25|36|28.77|N|85|10|03.06|E|}}
|target=
|date = 27 October 2013
|time =
|timezone = [[UTC+05:30]]
|type = [[Bombings]]
|fatalities = 6<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes">{{cite news|title=6 killed in 8 explosions as IM targets Modi's Patna rally|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/6-killed-in-8-explosions-as-IM-targets-Modis-Patna-rally/articleshow/24785956.cms|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=28 October 2013|author=Gyan Prakash|author2=Sayantanee Choudhury|author3=Deeptiman Tiwary}}</ref>
|injuries = 85<ref name="fplive">{{cite web|author=Simantik Dowerah|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/patna-blasts-live-eighth-explosion-hits-gandhi-maidan-at-5-10-pm-1196755.html|title=Patna blasts live: 8th explosion hits Gandhi Maidan at 5.10 pm|date=27 October 2013}}</ref>
| weapons = Eight crude bombs<ref name="fplive" />
|perps =
}}

On 27 October 2013, a series of bomb blasts rocked the [[India]]n city of [[Patna]], [[Bihar]] at a massive election rally for [[BJP]] Prime Ministerial candidate [[Narendra Modi]]. Of the estimated 300,000 participants at the "Hunkar" rally, six people were killed and 85 others were injured in eight bomb blasts.<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes" /><ref name="fplive" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Kanwal|first=Rahul|title=Narendra Modi rocks Patna, record crowd at Hunkar rally|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/narendra-modi-namo-hunkar-rally-patna-gandhi-maidan-bjp-bihar-politics/1/320519.html|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=India Today|date=27 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="oneindiaOct27">{{cite web|author=Shubham Ghosh|url=http://news.oneindia.in/patna/narendra-modi-hunkaar-rally-patna-bihar-oct27-live-updates-1331324.html|title=Hunkaar Rally updates: 7 blasts in Patna, say reports |date=27 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="ht27Oct">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/serial-blasts-at-patna-1-dead-16-injured/article1-1141012.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202154651/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/serial-blasts-at-patna-1-dead-16-injured/article1-1141012.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 December 2013 |title=Serial blasts at Patna hours ahead of Narendra Modi's rally; 1 dead, 16 injured |work=Hindustan Times|access-date=27 October 2013}}</ref>

No one has claimed responsibility for the explosions;<ref name="bberg">{{cite news|last=Balwani |first=Shikhar |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-27/serial-blasts-kill-five-in-india-s-patna-before-modi-poll-rally.html |title=Indian City of Patna Targeted as Bombings Kill Five |publisher=Bloomberg |access-date=27 October 2013}}</ref> however, investigations suggest [[Indian Mujahideen]] were culpable.<ref name="bp1">{{cite web|title=Indian Mujahideen plotted the Serial Bomb Blasts in Patna|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2013/10/indian-mujahideen-plotted-the-serial-bomb-blasts-in-patna/|access-date=28 October 2013}}</ref>

==Bombings==

On the morning of 27 October 2013, the first bomb exploded at [[Patna Junction railway station]] at around 10:00 , while two unexploded bombs were recovered by bomb disposal personnel. The second bomb exploded at 12:10, while the third bomb exploded at 12:25, both near [[Gandhi Maidan]], where the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]'s Prime Ministerial candidate [[Narendra Modi]] was supposed to hold a rally in the lead-up to the [[2014 Indian general election]] a couple of hours later. There were five other blasts from which three bombs exploded in and out of the [[Gandhi Maidan Marg|Gandhi Maidan area]], one exploded near a cinema hall and another close to the Twin Tower building complex in Patna.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/five-dead-as-terror-hits-modi-s-patna-rally-fourth-lead-113102700406_1.html |title=Five dead as terror hits Modi's Patna rally (Fourth Lead) |work=Business Standard|date=2013-10-27 |access-date=2013-11-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Ians - Patna |url=http://newindianexpress.com/nation/Five-dead-as-terror-hits-Modis-Patna-rally/2013/10/27/article1858691.ece |title=Five dead as terror hits Modi's Patna rally |publisher=The New Indian Express |date=2013-10-27 |access-date=2013-11-01}}</ref>

The chronology of the bombings were:<ref name="bp2"/>
*09:30 Public Toilet
*11:40 near Udyog Bhawan
*12:05 near eastern side of Regent Cinema
*12:10 near Mahatma Gandhi Statue at Gandhi Maidan
*12:15 near Twin Towers of southern periphery of Gandhi Maidan
*12:20 near State Bank of India (western Gandhi Maidan)
*12:25 near Children's Park (North-western side)
*13:35 Modi started his speech.
*17:15 inside Gandhi Maidan

===Railway station ===
A crude bomb exploded on an isolated place on platform 10 of [[Patna Junction railway station]]. One person who sustained injuries in this blast died. According to [[Railway Protection Force]], the explosion took place at a paid toilet within the station. Two more homemade bombs were defused.<ref name="ieOct27">{{cite web|author=Express News Service|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/live-narendra-modi-at-hunkar-rally-venue-despite-serial-blasts-in-patna/1187824/0|title=LIVE: Modi attacks Rahul, says nation feels bad on dynasty politics |date=27 October 2013}}</ref> According to [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Union Home Ministry]], one of the two crude bombs placed had a timer attached to it.<ref name="fpOct27">{{cite web|author=Simantik Dowerah|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/patna-blast-live-before-modis-hunkar-bombs-steal-thunder-1196755.html|title=Patna blast live: Before Modi's Hunkar, bombs steal thunder|date=27 October 2013}}</ref>

===Gandhi Maidan===
[[File:Gandhi Maidan.jpg|thumb|[[Gandhi Maidan]] was the venue of Narendra Modi's rally]]
Later that day, five more low intensity blasts took place in [[Gandhi Maidan]], where the pre-election rally of [[Narendra Modi]] was taking place. Several people were injured in these blasts.<ref name="ieOct27" /> One more blast took place in Elphinstine Cinema near the Gandhi Maidan, injuring six people.<ref name="hinduOct27">{{cite news|author=The Hindu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/serial-bomb-blasts-at-modi-rally-several-injured/article5277899.ece|title=Serial bomb blasts at Modi rally, several injured|date=27 October 2013|location=Chennai, India}}</ref> One more unexploded bomb was found below the [[dais]] where [[Narendra Modi]] had spoken in the rally,<ref name="fplive" /> which has been defused. The eighth bomb exploded around 5 PM on the same day, which was believed to be hidden under garbage.<ref name="fplive" />

==Reactions==
{{Terrorist attacks in India (since 2001)}}

[[Prime Minister of India]] [[Manmohan Singh]] condemned the blasts and spoke to Bihar Chief Minister [[Nitish Kumar]] asking him to hasten a probe into the incidents. The Union Home Ministry sent [[National Investigation Agency|NIA]] and [[National Security Guard|NSG]] teams to the blast sites for investigate.<ref name="hinduOct27" /> Union Minister of State for Home Affairs [[R. P. N. Singh]] assured the Bihar government that the [[Government of India|union government]] would provide all assistance in investigating the blast incident.<ref name="fplive" /> For his part, Kumar condemned the blasts and said that his government had provided full security for the rally. He also revealed that a suspicious suitcase was found in Gandhi Maidan two days previously and henceforth security would be beefed up.<ref name="bp2">{{cite web|title=Political Parties unilaterally Condemn Patna Serial Bomb Blasts|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2013/10/political-parties-unilaterally-condemn-patna-serial-bomb-blasts/|work=Biharprabha News|access-date=28 October 2013}}</ref> He also cancelled his scheduled trip of [[Munger]] and convened a meeting on the law and order situation.<ref name="fplive" /> [[Narendra Modi]] expressed his condolences for the bomb blast victims online.<ref name="fplive" /> A week after the blast, Modi returned to Bihar to offer condolences and Rs. 500,000 to the families of the six people killed in the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Narendra Modi meets families of Patna blast victims, says he is thankful to people for their support |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/narendra-modi-in-patna-meets-blasts-victims-families/1/321332.html|access-date=5 November 2013|newspaper=India Today|date=2 November 2013}}</ref> Dense fog allowed him to visit only three families while the other three were contacted over the phone.<ref>{{cite news|title=Patna blasts: Victim's widow stumps Narendra Modi, speaks in Gujarati|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-11-03/patna/43627979_1_narendra-modi-hoonkar-rally-serial-blasts|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105061913/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-11-03/patna/43627979_1_narendra-modi-hoonkar-rally-serial-blasts|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 November 2013|access-date=5 November 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=3 November 2013}}</ref>

Former Deputy CM of Bihar [[Sushil Kumar Modi]] called it a deliberate administrative failure and criminal negligence and wrong on ''[[Twitter]]'':<ref name=bp2/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/SushilModi/statuses/394414663263203328|title=Sushil Modi status on Twitter|access-date=28 October 2013}}</ref> "When I saw 3 blast in gandhi Maidan,I ranged DGP Bihar.he said that truck tyre has burst." {{Sic}}

An [[Indian National Congress]] leader, [[Shakeel Ahmad]], wrote: "Blasts during Modi Ji's 1st visit as PM hopeful to Bihar should be condemned by one and all. State govt and NIA should unearth the conspiracy." {{sic}}<ref name=bp2/> INC General Secretary [[Digvijaya Singh]] said: "What a coincidence blast at Patna Railway on the day of Modi's Rally ! Challenge to Nitish Govt to find the culprit !."<ref name=bp2/>

[[Jamaat-e-Islami Hind]] General Secretary Nusrat Ali called for strong action against those who carried out the attacks.<ref name=zn1>{{cite web|title=Punish the guilty in Patna, says Jamaat|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/bihar/punish-the-guilty-in-patna-says-jamaat_886440.html|work=Zee News|access-date=28 October 2013}}</ref>

Hours after the attacks Union Home Minister [[Sushilkumar Shinde]] was spotted at the music launch party of [[Bollywood]] movie [[Rajjo]] along with [[Kangana Ranaut]]. Several political parties, including the national [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] and [[Communist Party of India]] criticised his presence immediately after the blasts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sushilkumar Shinde spotted at Page 3 Party after Patna Bomb Blasts|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2013/10/sushilkumar-shinde-spotted-at-page-3-party-after-patna-bomb-blasts/|work=Biharprabha News|access-date=28 October 2013}}</ref>

==Investigation==
Within days of the blasts, the [[Nitish Kumar]] government in Bihar requested [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Union Home Minister]] [[Sushilkumar Shinde]] to have the [[National Investigation Agency]] (NIA) take over the case.<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes_a">{{cite news|last=PTI|title=Patna blasts: Third suspect arrested in Ranchi, probe given to NIA|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Patna-blasts-Third-suspect-arrested-in-Ranchi-probe-given-to-NIA/articleshow/24942521.cms|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=30 October 2013}}</ref> As terrorists were planting the bombs at Patna Junction railway station, one of the bombs prematurely exploded due to a wiring error.<ref>{{cite news|last=Tiwary|first=Deeptiman|title=Patna serial blasts: Wrongly wired bomb saved lives, led to arrest|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Patna-serial-blasts-Wrongly-wired-bomb-saved-lives-led-to-arrest/articleshow/24957056.cms|access-date=31 October 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=31 October 2013}}</ref> One of the suspects planting the bomb, Tarique alias Ainul was critically injured in the blast and died a few days later.<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes_a" /> Patna police converged on the scene of the blast and apprehended Imtiaz Ansari as he was attempting to flee in possession of explosives.<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes_b">{{cite news|title=Patna blasts: IM aimed at setting off stampede at Modi's rally|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Patna-blasts-IM-aimed-at-setting-off-stampede-at-Modis-rally/articleshow/24832822.cms|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=29 October 2013|author=Sayantanee Chaudary|author2=Gyan Prakash|author3=Deeptiman Tiwary}}</ref> Interrogation of Imtiaz Ansari revealed that the bombings were coordinated by [[Indian Mujahideen]], a Pakistani-linked Muslim terrorist group operating out of India. Ansari confessed that the goal was to ring the rally ground with bombs and cause [[stampede]] during the rally to kill as many of the participants, particularly women and children, as possible.<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes_b" /> However, as the blasts went off, BJP officials organising the rally led the crowd to believe they were [[fire cracker]]s and appealed for calm, thus averting a much greater loss of life and foiling the Indian Mujahideen's plans of inciting a deadly stampede that could have killed hundreds.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kakisi|first=Rahgoed|title=Patna serial blasts: Give BJP credit for keeping the calm during the Modi rally|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/patna-serial-blasts-give-bjp-credit-for-keeping-the-calm-during-modi-rally/1/320622.html|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=India Today|date=28 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Sanjay|title=Patna blasts showed Modi's leadership, Nitish's ineptness|url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/patna-blasts-showed-modis-leadership-nitishs-ineptness-1198377.html|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=Firstpost|date=28 October 2013}}</ref> In the initial days of the investigation, six suspects were detained for interrogation based on leads obtained by police from Imtiaz Ansari.<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes_a" />

Investigators believe Mohammad Tehsin Akhtar alias Monu to be the mastermind behind the serial blasts, and the second-highest ranking leader of the terrorist outfit, Indian Mujahideen.<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes_c">{{cite news|title=Patna serial blasts mastermind's uncle disowns him|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Patna-serial-blasts-masterminds-uncle-disowns-him/articleshow/24942139.cms|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=30 October 2013|author=PTI}}</ref> Tehsin had been radicalized at a [[madrasa]] in [[Chikmagalur]], [[Karnataka]] in 2005 and has moved up the ranks in the terrorist group since then.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kalkod|first=Rajiv|title= Patna blasts mastermind perfected bomb-making in Chikmagalur|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Patna-blasts-mastermind-perfected-bomb-making-in-Chikmagalur/articleshow/24902720.cms|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=30 October 2013}}</ref> After the blasts, the terrorist mastermind Tehsin Akhtar was revealed by news media as the nephew of Taqui Akhtar, a leader of the [[Janata Dal (United)]], party which is currently in power in Bihar led by [[Chief Minister of Bihar|Chief Minister]] [[Nitish Kumar]]. Taqui publicly disowned his nephew after reports of his involvement in the serial blasts arose in the media.<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes_c" />

The [[Gujarat]] [[Director General of Police]] lambasted the [[Government of Bihar|Bihar government]] for lack of cooperation and a lax approach to security for the rally despite receiving general intelligence inputs from the [[Intelligence Bureau (India)|Intelligence Bureau]] (IB) of possible blasts during Modi's rally.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gujarat blames Bihar cops for lax security before Narendra Modi meet|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Gujarat-blames-Bihar-cops-for-lax-security-before-Narendra-Modi-meet/articleshow/24958642.cms|access-date=31 October 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=31 October 2013|author=Times News Network}}</ref> He said that basic procedures mandatory for all public meetings, such as anti-sabotage checks and pre-event drills were not carried out by the [[Bihar Police]] despite requests made by [[Gujarat Police]] officials.<ref>{{cite news|title=Patna blasts: Bihar failed to ensure Modi's safety, says Gujarat DGP|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/patna-blasts-bihar-failed-to-ensure-modis-safety-says-gujarat-dgp-1203583.html|access-date=31 October 2013|newspaper=Firstpost|date=31 October 2013|author=Press Trust of India}}</ref> BJP leaders, including former Bihar [[Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar|Deputy Chief Minister]], [[Sushil Kumar Modi]], asserted that the security lapses were a deliberate, possibly criminal attempt by the Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, to take revenge on his political enemy, Narendra Modi.<ref>{{cite news|last=IANS|title=Patna blasts: BJP accuses Nitish Kumar of deliberate security lapses|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-28/india/43461797_1_nitish-kumar-sushil-kumar-modi-bihar-government|access-date=31 October 2013|date=28 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031084041/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-28/india/43461797_1_nitish-kumar-sushil-kumar-modi-bihar-government|archive-date=31 October 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Abhay|title=Govt's neglect of Narendra Modi security 'deliberate': BJP|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-29/patna/43494209_1_security-concerns-narendra-modi-gandhi-maidan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102084954/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-29/patna/43494209_1_security-concerns-narendra-modi-gandhi-maidan|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 November 2013|access-date=31 October 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=29 October 2013}}</ref> Nitish Kumar rejected this charge saying that he had directed police to make all necessary security arrangements for the event.<ref>{{cite news|last=Times News Network|title=Nitish Kumar takes dig at Narendra Modi, says have 'patience for PM post'|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-29/india/43494152_1_nitish-kumar-hunkar-rally-bihar-cm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031210419/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-29/india/43494152_1_nitish-kumar-hunkar-rally-bihar-cm|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 October 2013|access-date=31 October 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=29 October 2013}}</ref>

On 5 November 2013, a tip-off in tracking one of the suspected masterminds of the blasts led the National Intelligence Agency to a small hotel in [[Ranchi]], [[Jharkhand]], 350 kilometers from Patna, where they discovered 9 live bombs just like those used in the Patna blasts.<ref>{{cite news|title=Patna blasts: India investigators find explosives in Jharkhand hotel|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-24815015|work=BBC.com|publisher=BBC|access-date=5 November 2013|date=5 November 2013}}</ref> Police suspect that the Patna bomb blast suspects have been staying at this hotel.<ref>{{cite web|title=27 live bombs found in Ranchi hotel, Patna blasts suspect reportedly stayed there|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/27-live-bombs-found-in-ranchi-hotel-patna-blasts-suspect-reportedly-stayed-there-441582|work=NDTV.com|publisher=NDTV|access-date=5 November 2013}}</ref> By April 2014, NIA had arrested eight suspects for their alleged involvement in the explosions.<ref name=24april14 />

===Chargesheet===
On 24 April 2014, [[National Investigation Agency|NIA]] filed the first [[chargesheet]] in the matter against Imtiaz Ansari under various provisions of the [[Indian Penal Code]], Explosive Substances Act and other laws at an NIA special court. Cash rewards ranging from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh have been declared for the arrest of the absconding accused—Mujibullah, Hyder Ali, Numan and Taufiq Ansari.<ref name=24april14>{{cite news|last=Pandey|first=Devesh K|title=Patna blast case: NIA files charge sheet|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/patna-blast-case-nia-files-charge-sheet/article5944703.ece|access-date=5 May 2014|newspaper=The Hindu|date=24 April 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patna bombings}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=Mass murder in 2013, Terrorist incidents in India in 2013, Politics of Bihar, History of Bihar (1947–present), History of Patna, Improvised explosive device bombings in India, Islamic terrorism in India, Indian Mujahideen attacks, Islamic terrorist incidents in 2013, Crime in Bihar, Attacks on theatres, Attacks on buildings and structures in India, Failed assassination attempts in Asia
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[[Category:Mass murder in 2013]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in India in 2013]]
[[Category:Politics of Bihar]]
[[Category:History of Bihar (1947–present)]]
[[Category:History of Patna]]
[[Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in India]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorism in India]]
[[Category:Indian Mujahideen attacks]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2013]]
[[Category:Crime in Bihar]]
[[Category:Attacks on theatres]]
[[Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in India]]
[[Category:Failed assassination attempts in Asia]]

2013 Patna bombings - Revision history

MetaBOT at 18:04, 8 July 2023