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Indian Officials Say Outlawed Militant Group Is Behind Patna Blasts Indian Officials Say Outlawed Militant Group Is Behind Patna Blasts
(about 4 hours later)
NEW DELHI — Investigators believe that Indian Mujahedeen, an outlawed Islamic group, was behind a series of explosions on Sunday that killed at least six people and disrupted a huge political rally in Patna, a senior official said Monday.NEW DELHI — Investigators believe that Indian Mujahedeen, an outlawed Islamic group, was behind a series of explosions on Sunday that killed at least six people and disrupted a huge political rally in Patna, a senior official said Monday.
The police said the two suspects they have in custody had said under interrogation that the blasts were planned by Mohammed Tehseen Akhtar, a figure in the group, according to S. N. Pradhan, a senior police official in the eastern state of Jharkhand who is familiar with the investigation. The police said the two suspects they have in custody had said under interrogation that the blasts were planned by Mohammed Tehseen Akhtar, a figure in the group, according to S. N. Pradhan, a police official in the eastern state of Jharkhand who is familiar with the investigation.
Investigators say the four suspects they have identified — the two now in custody, one who died of wounds sustained in the bombings, and one who is still at large — came from the same village in Jharkhand, south of Bihar State, where Patna is situated.Investigators say the four suspects they have identified — the two now in custody, one who died of wounds sustained in the bombings, and one who is still at large — came from the same village in Jharkhand, south of Bihar State, where Patna is situated.
The seven explosions, in scattered locations, were timed to go off one after another, just as a large crowd was assembling to hear an address by the Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Mr. Modi hopes to be prime minister if his party prevails in elections next spring. The seven explosions, in scattered locations, were timed to go off just as a large crowd was assembling to hear an address by the Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Mr. Modi hopes to be prime minister if his party prevails in elections next spring.
The police believe that the attackers worked in three teams of six to eight people each, and were trying to “create panic and spread terror, followed by a stampede,” said Manu Maharaj, the district police chief in Patna. Party officials decided to proceed with the rally despite the blasts.The police believe that the attackers worked in three teams of six to eight people each, and were trying to “create panic and spread terror, followed by a stampede,” said Manu Maharaj, the district police chief in Patna. Party officials decided to proceed with the rally despite the blasts.
In addition to the deaths, 83 people were wounded, the authorities said.In addition to the deaths, 83 people were wounded, the authorities said.
Bharatiya Janata Party officials said there were serious lapses in security before the rally despite the presence of 1,700 private security guards. Arun Jaitley, a party leader, told reporters in Delhi that many attendees were not frisked when they arrived at the rally. Mr. Jaitley also said that officials in Bihar had received intelligence about a threat to the rally, something the state’s leaders have denied.Bharatiya Janata Party officials said there were serious lapses in security before the rally despite the presence of 1,700 private security guards. Arun Jaitley, a party leader, told reporters in Delhi that many attendees were not frisked when they arrived at the rally. Mr. Jaitley also said that officials in Bihar had received intelligence about a threat to the rally, something the state’s leaders have denied.
The home minister in the national government, Sushil Kumar Shinde, told reporters that Mr. Modi was given the maximum level of state security provided to political figures.The home minister in the national government, Sushil Kumar Shinde, told reporters that Mr. Modi was given the maximum level of state security provided to political figures.
Mr. Akhtar, the suspected planner of the Patna attack and of earlier bombings in New Delhi and Maharashtra State, is one of India’s most wanted men. He is believed to be a close aide to Yasin Bhatkal, one of the founders of Indian Mujahedeen, believed to be responsible for a number of deadly bombings in India’s major cities.Mr. Akhtar, the suspected planner of the Patna attack and of earlier bombings in New Delhi and Maharashtra State, is one of India’s most wanted men. He is believed to be a close aide to Yasin Bhatkal, one of the founders of Indian Mujahedeen, believed to be responsible for a number of deadly bombings in India’s major cities.
Indian officials have said Mr. Bhatkal founded the group with several relatives and operated it from Pakistan. After eluding the police for many years and traveling under pseudonyms, Mr. Bhatkal was arrested in August near the border with Nepal.
Mr. Pradhan, the Jharkhand police official, said in an interview that the explosive devices used in Patna were similar to the bombs detonated in July at a Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya.

Ellen Barry contributed reporting.

Ellen Barry contributed reporting.