In the aftermath of the Bodh Gaya bomb blasts in Bihar in mid-2013, the Nitish Kumar government unleashed a security-enhancing and shops-demolition drive. This has increased the sense of insecurity among residents and shopkeepers who sense a wider conspiracy behind it all.
In the early morning of 7 July 2013, Bodh Gaya – the place where the Buddha is said to have gained enlightenment – was rocked by a series of low-intensity timed explosions. The first blast took place at 5:15 am with several explosions in quick succession over the next hour. Four of the bomb blasts took place within the Mahabodhi temple complex injuring two Buddhist monks from Myanmar and Tibet. Five additional blasts took place at the Tibetan Tergar Monastery, the 80 ft Buddha statue and the nearby bus stand. Only peripheral damage to the structure of the world famous Mahabodhi temple was reported but the ramifications of the blasts have been enormous.
