- 2005 Ram Janmabhoomi attack in Ayodhya
On
July 5 2005 , five suspected Islamistterrorist s [http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/06/stories/2005070612430100.htm Terrorists storm Ayodhya complex] ] [http://english.people.com.cn/200507/06/eng20050706_194315.html Indian PM condemns terrorist attack in Ayodhya] ] attacked the site of the Shri Ram Janambhoomi and the destroyedBabri Mosque inAyodhya ,India . All five were shot dead in the ensuing gunfight with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), while oneHindu civilian died in thegrenade attack that the terrorists launched in order to breach the cordoned wall. The CRPF suffered three casualties, two of whom were seriously injured with multiple gunshot wounds.Attack
On
July 5 ,2005 , the heavily guarded Shri Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid complex, the site of the destroyed Mosque and the birthplace of Hindu God Shri Ram, atAyodhya inUttar Pradesh state ofIndia was attacked by heavily-armed terrorists. The attack was foiled by security officials and the attackers were killed.The terrorists are believed to be from the terrorist organization
Lashkar-e-Toiba [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/USA/US_clamps_down_on_leaders_of_Lashkar-e-Toiba/articleshow/3078348.cms US clamps down on leaders of Lashkar-e-Toiba] ] [http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/us-imposes-sanctions-on-four-lashkar-e-toiba-leaders_10053591.html US imposes sanctions on four Lashkar-e-Toiba leaders] ] , and are believed to have entered India throughNepal . They posed aspilgrim s to Ayodhya and boarded aTata Sumo atAkbarpur near theKichaucha village inFaizabad . At Faizabad they abandoned the Sumo and hired a jeep driven by a driver, Rehan Alam Amsari. According to a statement by the driver, the terrorists visited the Shri RamMandir (Temple) at Ayodhya where they prayed, possibly to reinforce that they indeed were pilgrims. The terrorists then drove the jeep into the Shri Ram Janambhoomi and forced the driver out of the vehicle, banging the jeep against the security cordon. At 9:05 am, they hurledM67 handgrenade s from 50 metres away to breach the cordon fence. Ramesh Pandey, a pilgrim guide who happened to be near the site at this moment, 50 m away from the terrorists, died on the spot as a result of the grenade blast. Firing indiscriminately, the 5 terrorists entered MataSita Rasoi. Returning the gunfire, aplatoon of 35 CRPF soldiers killed all five of the fighters in a gunfight that lasted for over an hour. Three CRPF soldiers also received serious injuries and, as of July 2008, two remaincoma tose. All the fighters died within 100 meters of the site.Investigation
It is suspected that the terrorists belonged to the group
Lashkar-e-Toiba [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/USA/US_clamps_down_on_leaders_of_Lashkar-e-Toiba/articleshow/3078348.cms US clamps down on leaders of Lashkar-e-Toiba] ] [http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/us-imposes-sanctions-on-four-lashkar-e-toiba-leaders_10053591.html US imposes sanctions on four Lashkar-e-Toiba leaders] ] . The investigating team is tracking the phone calls made from the cell phones using the IMEI numbers. The Police recovered a singleRPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher, fiveType 56 assault rifle s , fiveM1911 pistols, severalM67 grenades and somejihadi documents.Rehan Alam, the jeep driver, was detained by the police for further investigations.
On
July 28 2005 , four men fromJammu and Kashmir ndashAkbar Hussain ,Lal Mohammad ,Mohmmad Naseer andMohmmad Rafeeq ndash were arrested in connection with the attack. [http://news.indiainfo.com/2005/07/28/2807ayodhya-arrest.html Ayodhya Attack: Four more held in Poonch in J&K] , "India Info ",July 28 2005 .] OnAugust 3 2005 , another four menndash Asif Iqbal,Mohd Aziz ,Mohd Nasim andShaqeel Ahmed ndash were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the bombing. [http://news.indiainfo.com/2005/08/04/0408ayodhya-jail.html Ayodhya : Jail custody for militants arrested in JK] , "India Info ",August 3 2005 .] A fifth man, Irfan Khan, was arrested a few days earlier.Aftermath
Most of India's political organizations condemned the attack as barbaric and requested people to maintain law and order. The
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh , its offshoot theVishva Hindu Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared an India-wideprotest andbandh onJuly 8 ,2005 . BJP president L.K. Advani called for reinstatement of the Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act (POTA) [http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Advani-blames-Ayodhya-attack-on-Pota-repeal/142017/] in the wake of the attack.The major Hindu figure in the Shri Ram Janambhoomi movement, Nritya Gopal Das, has been threatened with execution by
Jaish-e-Mohammed unless he converts toIslam . [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Ram_Janambhumi_trust_chief_threatened/articleshow/2562582.cms Ram Janambhumi trust chief threatened] , "Times of India ",November 22 ,2007 .]See also
*
Terrorism in India References
External links
* [http://us.rediff.com/news/2005/jul/05ayo.htm 6 militants storm Ayodhya, killed] (rediff.com).
* [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1161607.cms Terrorists attack the fountainhead of faith] "(Times of India)".
* [http://us.rediff.com/news/2005/jul/08ayodhya.htm Police get lead into Ayodhya attack] (rediff.com).
* [http://us.rediff.com/news/ayodhya.htm Ayodhya coverage] (rediff.com).
* [http://www.expressindia.com/fullcoverage.php?coverage_id=23 Ram Temple Turmoil] " (Indian Express)".
* [http://www.indianexpress.com/full_coverage.php?coverage_id=73 "Indian Express" coverage]
* [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1164650.cms "Times Of India" coverage]
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