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'{{Use British English|date=April 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}} {{Multiple issues |cite check = June 2011 |example farm = June 2011 }} {{Infobox civilian attack | title = Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast | image = Dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti Ajmer India (5).JPG | caption = Dargah of Moinuddin Chishti, the site of the attack. | location = [[Ajmer]], Rajasthan, India<br/>{{coord|26|27|25|N|74|37|40|E}} | map = {{Location map | Rajasthan | lat_deg = 26 | lat_min = 27 | lat_sec = 25 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 74 | lon_min = 37 | lon_sec = 40 | lon_dir = E | label = Ajmer Sharif | alt = }} | target = [[Dargah]] of [[Moinuddin Chishti]]<ref name="Reuters-20071011"/> | date = 11 October 2007 | time = 18:12 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]] | timezone = [[UTC]]+5.30 | type = Bomb in a [[Tiffin carrier]]<ref name="DNA-20071011" /> | fatalities = 3<ref name="Outlook-20100719" /> | injuries = 17<ref name="DNA-20071011" /> | perps = | susperps = [[Abhinav Bharat]],<ref name="Outlook-20100719" /> | weapons = }} {{Terrorist attacks in India (since 2001)}} The '''Ajmer Dargah attack''' (also called the '''Ajmer Sharif blast''') occurred on 11 October 2007, outside the [[Dargah]] (shrine) of [[Sufi]] saint [[Moinuddin Chishti]] in [[Ajmer]], Rajasthan, India, after the [[Iftar]] period had started. Investigations focussed on the alleged involvement of [[Hindutva]] organization [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] and its groups behind the blast.<ref name="ToI-201110109-mole">{{cite news|last=Mohan|first=Vishwa|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-09/india/28361088_1_rss-leader-indresh-kumar-swami-aseemanand-naba-kumar-sarkar|title=Co-conspirators saw RSS man as ISI mole|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=9 January 2011|accessdate=14 January 2011}}</ref> CNN-IBN has reported that it was [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Home Minister]] [[Sushilkumar Shinde]] who forced Bhavesh Patel to implicate [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS) chief [[Mohan Bhagwat]] and senior leader Indresh Kumar in the terrorist strike.<ref>[http://post.jagran.com/aseemanand-links-mohan-bhagwat-to-terror-attacks-report-1391682536 Aseemanand links Mohan Bhagwat to terror attacks]</ref> It is also reported that other senior Congress ministers and leaders were also involved.<ref>[http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ajmer-blast-accused-claims-shinde-forced-him-to-name-rss-chief-bhagwat/424426-3-239.html?utm_source=ref_article Ajmer blast accused claims Shinde forced him to name RSS chief Bhagwat]</ref> ==Attack== At 6.12&nbsp;pm on 11 October 2007, an explosion occurred near a courtyard outside of the [[Dargah]] of [[ Moinuddin Chishti|Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti]] in Ajmer.<ref name="Urban-Terrorism-2009">{{cite book|last=Asthana|last2=Nirmal|title=Urban Terrorism|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=8EqWnqdsgZMC&pg=PA188&dq=Ajmer|page=188|year=2009}}</ref> Evening prayers had just concluded before the end of the fasting month of [[Ramadan]] and a crowd had gathered outside the shrine to end their [[fasting|fast]].<ref name="Reuters-20071011">{{cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-29954920071011|title=Bomb kills two at Ajmer Sharif dargah|agency=[[Reuters]]|date=11 October 2007|accessdate=12 January 2011}}</ref> The bomb had been concealed in a [[Tiffin carrier]], which workers typically used to store their lunch.<ref name="DNA-20071011">{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_blast-at-ajmer-dargah-2-dead_1126990 |title=Blast at Ajmer Dargaha , 2 dead|newspaper=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|location=India|date=11 October 2007|accessdate=12 January 2011}}</ref> The blast killed three people and injured 17.<ref name="Outlook-20100719">{{cite news|last=Koppikar|first=Smruti|last2=Dasgupta|first2=Debarshi|last3=Hasan|first3=Snigdha|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?266145|title=The Mirror Explodes|journal=[[Outlook (magazine)|Outlook]]|location=India|date=19 July 2010|accessdate=12 January 2011}}</ref><ref name="Independent-20110112">{{cite news|last=Buncombe|first=Andrew|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/hindu-holy-man-reveals-truth-of-terror-attacks-blamed-on-muslims-2182178.html|title=Hindu holy man reveals truth of terror attacks blamed on Muslims|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|location=London|date=12 January 2011|accessdate=12 January 2011}}</ref> Remnants of a mobile phone were retrieved from the site.<ref name="Urban-Terrorism-2009" /> Lalit Maheswari of the Ajmer police stated, "We have recovered some mobile instruments, so we think some sophisticated device was used ..."<ref name="Reuters-20071011" /> ===Investigations=== On 22 October 2010, five suspects, who had been arrested by the [[Anti Terrorist Squad (India)|Anti-Terrorism Squad of India]], were charged with conspiracy in connection to the bombing.{{Citation needed|date=April 2012}} Four of the five suspects were alleged to be connected to the [[Hindu nationalist]] group [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]].<ref name="IndianExpress-20101101">{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/four-of-five-ajmer-blast-accused-have-rss-links-ats/705648/|title=Four of five Ajmer blast accused have RSS links: ATS|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=1 November 2010|accessdate=18 January 2011}}</ref> According to sources, Patel was part of the five-member group that planted the bomb at Ajmer Dargah. While two planters 'Harshad Solanki and Mukesh Vasani' have already been charge sheeted, Patel was part of a back-up team, including Suresh Nair and Mehul alias Mafat Bhai, which went to the site as a contingency plan to take charge of the affairs in case the two planters failed to place the bomb or developed cold feet. On October 10, 2007, Suresh Nair, Mehul and Bhavesh Patel took a consignment of explosives from Sunil Joshi, who was later found murdered under mysterious circumstances in Godhra. They reached Vadodara n the same day and boarded a private bus for Udaipur. At Ajmer, however, the bomb was given to Solanki and Vasani planted it. Patel was also accused of having been involved in the post-Godhra riots in Gujarat, but was acquitted by the court. NIA has also filed another charge sheet against [[Swami Aseemanand]], whose confession helped the agency open [[Hyderabad]]'s [[Mecca Masjid bombing|Mecca Masjid blast]] and [[2006 Malegaon bombings|Malegaon 2006 blast]] cases, along with Sandeep Dangae, Bhawesh Patel, Mehul, Suresh Bhai, Ramchandra Kalsangra, Sunil Joshi and Bharat Bhai. Government investigations concluded that Hindutva outfits, such as [[Abhinav Bharat]], may have actually been behind the blast though no evidence have been found till date.<ref name="ToI-201110109-mole" /> The attack allegedly included two Muslim boys from the [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] of Pakistan.<ref name="ToI-201110109-mole" /> Aseemanand was also accused in the plan, which was allegedly conceived to avenge Islamic attacks on Hindu temples though later on the statement were found to be politically motivated and tarnished by [[United Progressive Alliance|UPA]] government in power by [[Supreme Court|Supreme Court of India]].<ref name="ToI-201110109-summon">{{cite news|last=Sharma|first=Nitesh Kumar|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-09/jaipur/28354234_1_rajasthan-ats-ajmer-blast-jagendra-kumar-jain|title=ATS to summon Indresh after Aseemanand's statement|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=9 January 2011|accessdate=12 January 2011}}</ref> Aseemanand said that the attack was intended to avenge the attacks on Hindu shrines by Jihadi groups funded by Indian Muslim.<ref name="Reuters-20071011" /><ref name="Independent-20110112" /> Other individuals accused in the attack is Bharat Bhai alias Bharat Rateshwar, who is alleged to have financed the Hindutva terrorist attacks at Ajmer and Mecca Masjid blasts. He has been alleged to have funding and planning terrorist attacks on Muslim to avenge the alleged attacks on Hindus in India.<ref>http://news.oneindia.in/2011/02/06/a-link-in-ajmer-mecca-masjid-samjhauta-blast-aid0101.html</ref> ==See also== *[[2006 Malegaon blasts]] *[[2007 Samjhauta Express bombings]] *[[29 September 2008 western India bombings|2008 Malegoan & Modasa bombing]] *[[List of terrorist incidents, 2007]] *[[Saffron Terror]] ==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}} ==Further reading== *{{cite book|last=Asthana|first=N. C.|last2=Nirmal|first2=A.|title=Urban Terrorism : Myths And Realities|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=8EqWnqdsgZMC&pg=PA188&dq=Ajmer|page=188|publisher=Pointer|location=Jaipur|year=2009|isbn=978-81-7132-598-6|oclc=435375838}} == External links == {{Commons category|Moinuddin Chishti}} *[http://www.tehelka.com/story_main48.asp?filename=Ne150111Coverstory.asp In the words of a zealot…]. ''[[Tehelka]]''. 15 January 2011. *[http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ajmer-blast-accused-claims-shinde-forced-him-to-name-rss-chief-bhagwat/424426-3-239.html?utm_source=ref_article Ajmer blast accused claims Shinde forced him to name RSS chief Bhagwat] [[Category:Murder in 2007]] [[Category:Ajmer]] [[Category:Hindu terrorism]] [[Category:Massacres in places of worship]] [[Category:Attacks on places of worship]] [[Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in India]] [[Category:Terrorist incidents in India in 2007]] [[Category:Crime in Rajasthan]]'