A strike was called in parts of Ladakh on Sunday after a low intensity bomb explosion led to the recovery of two other live explosives in the holy place, Bodh Gaya on Friday. The strike or referred as a bandh was called to condemn the heinous act of planting explosives at the most holy site of the Buddhist fraternity, Bodh Gaya.
“The Buddhist apex body Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) and All Ladakh Gonpa Association (LGA) called for Ladakh bandh including Leh, Zanskar, Changthang and Nobra region. Peaceful bandh was observed to condemn the plantation of crude bombs at the Buddhist most sacred place which hurts the sentiment of Buddhist all over the world.” said the report in the Daily Excelsior on Sunday.
In an attempt to cause public panic in Bodh Gaya where His Holiness the Dalai Lama is presently on a month long stay, three low-intensity bombs have been planted amid heavy security shield for the spiritual leader’s stay and one of the bombs had exploded on late Friday evening, following which the two others were recovered before explosion.
The primary investigation analysis reports suggests that Buddhists would have been the target of the bombers as there is a heavy inflow of monks during evening prayer and the second bomb, found opposite Mahabodhi Society, is on the route of the monks. However, the official ruled out the possibility that they could have targeted the Buddhist spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
“The people who planted bombs at the venue, are not only enemies of mankind but enemies to the very peaceful existence of the world and the entire people of Ladakh strongly condemn the barbaric act of anti-social elements in Bodh Gaya and demanded immediate action by the Government of Bihar and Central Government to nab the culprits and bring them to book under law. Such lapses in the security arrangements at places where so many devotees congregate and at the most sacred place of pilgrimage to the Buddhists can’t be tolerated.” the report added as the organizers of the strike as demanding in its memorandum released.