Ajmer Sharif blast puts question on the whole intelligence system

Oct 12: Explosion in the complex of much revered Sufi shrine Ajmer Sharif during the month of Ramdan in which two people have been killed and 17 others injured puts a question on the present internal security system of the country especially after the warning of the home minister himself of terrorist attacks on the religious places during festivals.

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The incident took place yesterday evening when hundreds of people assembled for their daily ritual Iftar to end their day’s Ramzan fast.

According to official report the bomb went off at around 6.12 pm at the Ahata-e-Noor near the main courtyard of the Dargah. Reportedly two people died and 17 others got injured who were soon sent to the nearby hospital.

The incident at such a holy place which not only attracts Muslim devotees but also thousands of pilgrims from other religions angered the mob and hence angry devotees attacked the police men deployed but the situation was taken into control with the arrival of more security personnel.

The state government of Rajasthan has sounded an alert following the blast and appealed the people to cooperate with investigation agency and also to maintain law and order. The police, bomb experts and intelligence officials have recovered a damaged mobile phone believed to have used for triggering the bomb.

Keeping in mind the religious significance of the month of Ramdan and also the shrine which houses the tomb of the famous Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti the government has ordered for a high level enquiry. A security meeting is also scheduled to take place today with the guidance of home secretary.

According to a security official the blast was of low intensity and is a deliberate attempt to make people panic. But security establishment also did point out that there was no specific intelligence input.

On contrary the Home Ministry had warned last week that there are terror groups active in some parts of the country and would strike in religious places eying communal conflict. However, intelligence agency has declined to have any specific alert in any religious place. This certainly puts a question mark on the whole intelligence functioning that awakes only after the phenomenon.

Despite the warning by the Home Ministry, the intelligence has completely failed to stop such attacks though the Mecca Masjid blast had sent a warning earlier this year. Either there is no coordination between the state and central government or our intelligence agency only waiting for an attack to show their skills in investigating and not in stopping militant activities.