NIA Court convicts 9 accused in 2013 Gandhi Maidan blasts at PM Modi's 'Hunkar' rally

An NIA court on Wednesday convicted 9 accused in  2013 Gandhi Maidan, Patna serial blasts case, while one accused was acquitted in absence of evidence. Six people were killed and over 90 were injured in serial blasts that rocked Bihar's capital on October 27, 2013. explosions had taken place at  venue of n Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's "Hunkar" rally. 

Two bombs had gone off at around 12.25 PM, just 20 minutes before n Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and top BJP leaders such as Rajnath Singh and late Arun Jaitley took st. explosions occurred a mere 150 metres from platform where PM Modi was to deliver his speech. Later, four more live bombs were discovered near rally venue. However, Modi had refused to cower down and had decided to go ahead with rally and address public.  quantum of punishment will be prounced by NIA Court on vember 1. 

NIA investigation in Patna Gandhi Maidan blast

NIA had taken over investigation in vember 2013 and had uneard a plot to assassinate Modi who was Prime Ministerial candidate for BJP in  2014 General Elections. After probing incident, nine Indian Mujahideen (IM) suspects and Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were named as accused in case. Mastermind behind attack Hyder Ali alias ‘Black Beauty’, Taufeeq Ansari, Mojibullah and Numan Ansari were arrested in  case in 2014. 

NIA filed a charge sheet against 11 accused on August 21, 2014. In its charge sheet, NIA revealed that terrorists had failed to get close to Modi at previous rallies in New Delhi, Chhatisgarh and Uttar Pradesh and had planned Patna blasts. mir accused was sentenced on October 12, 2017, for three years by Juvenile Justice Board while ar accused Tariq Ansari died while trying to plant a bomb inside a public toilet at Patna Junction railway station.

(With ncy Inputs)