Terrorism in India

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Terrorism in India can be attributed to India's many low intensity conflicts within its borders. If terrorism can be defined as "peacetime equivalent of war crime", then these sites of low intensity conflicts are prime spots for terrorism in India. The regions with long term terrorist activities today are Jammu and Kashmir, Central India (Naxalism) and Seven Sister States (independence and autonomy movements). In the past, the Punjab insurgency led to terrorist activities in the Indian state of Punjab as well as the national capital Delhi (Delhi serial blasts, Anti-Sikh riots). The increased terrorist activities, all pointing to Islamic terrorism, have given rise of right-wing politics , leading to violence (Godhra Riots) and the Bombay bomb blasts. In recent times, the Delhi and the Varanasi bomb blasts were aimed not against the Indian state but were aimed to trigger a Hindu-Muslim schism. The perpetrators of terrorism have been members of armed opposition groups. Allegations of the involvement of state agencies of foreign nations have been made. The terrorist activities have gone up significantly after 1990 following the involvement of Pakistan government under the cover of its intelligence agency ISI and Islamic militant groups armed, trained and financed by Pakistan.

Contents 1 Northeastern India 1.1 Nagaland 1.2 Assam 1.3 Tripura 1.4 Manipur 1.5 Mizoram 2 Northern India 2.1 Jammu and Kashmir 2.2 Bihar 2.3 Punjab 2.4 New Delhi 2.5 Uttar Pradesh 2.5.1 Ayodhya crisis 2.5.2 Varanasi blasts 3 South India 3.1 Andhra Pradesh 4 Chronology of Major Incidents 5 Indian Railways 6 References and notes 7 See also 8 Notes 9 External links

[edit] Northeastern India

Northeastern India consists 7 states (also known as the seven sisters): Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland. Tensions exists between these states and the central government as well as amongst the tribal people, who are natives of these states, and migrant peoples from other parts of India. The states have accused New Delhi of ignoring the issues concerning them. It is this feeling which has led the natives of these states to seek greater participation in self-governance. There are existing territorial disputes between Manipur and Nagaland. There is a rise of insurgent activities and regional movements in the northeast, especially in the states of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura. Most of these organizations demand independent state status or increased regional autonomy and sovereignty.

[edit] Nagaland

The first and perhaps the most significant insurgency was in Nagaland from the early 1950s until it was finally quelled in the early 1980s through a mixture of repression and cooptation. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), demands an independent Nagaland and has carried out several attacks on Indian military installations in the region. On June 14, 2001, a cease-fire agreement was signed between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM which had received widespread approval and support in Nagaland. Terrorist outfits such as the Naga National Council-Federal (NNC-F) and the National Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) also welcomed the development. Certain neighbouring states, especially Manipur, raised serious concerns over the cease-fire. They feared that NSCN would continue insurgent activities in its state and demanded New Delhi scrap the ceasefire deal and renew military action. Despite the cease-fire the NSCN has continued its insurgency. According to government officials, 599 civilians, 235 security forces and 862 terrorists have lost their lives between 1992 and 2000.

[edit] Assam

After Nagaland, Assam is the most volatile state in the region. Beginning 1979, the indigenous people of Assam demanded that the illegal immigrants who had emigrated from Bangladesh to Assam be detected and deported. The movement lead by All Assam Students Union began non-violently with satyagraha, boycotts, picketing and courting arrests. Those protesting frequently came under police action. In 1983 an election was conducted which was opposed by the movement leaders. The election lead to widespread violence. The movement finally ended after the movement leaders signed an agreement (called Assam Accord) with the central government in August 15, 1985. Under the provisions of this accord, anyone who entered the state illegally between January 1966 and March 1971 were allowed to remain but were disenfranchised for ten years, while those who entered after 1971 faced expulsion. A November 1985 amendment to the Indian citizenship law allows non citizens who entered Assam between 1961 and 1971 to have all the rights of citizenship except the right to vote for a period of ten years. New Delhi also gave special administration autonomy to the Bodos in the state. However, the Bodos demanded for a separate Bodoland which led to a clash between the Bengalis, the Bodos and the Indian military resulting in hundreds of deaths.

There are several organizations which advocate the independence of Assam. The most prominent of which is the ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom). Formed in 1971, the ULFA has two main goals, the independence of Assam and the establishment of a socialist government. The ULFA has carried out several terrorist attacks in the region targeting the Indian Military and noncombatants. The group assassinates political opponents, attacks police and other security forces, blasts railroad tracks, and attacks other infrastructure facilities. The ULFA is believed to have strong links with Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), Maoists and the Naxalites. It is also believed that they carry out most of their operations from the Kingdom of Bhutan. Because of ULFA's increased visibility, the Indian government outlawed the group in 1986 and declared Assam a troubled area. Under pressure from New Delhi, Bhutan carried a massive operation to drive out the ULFA militants from its territory. Backed by the Indian Army, Thimphu was successful in killing more than a thousand terrorists and extraditing many more to India while sustaining only 120 casualties. The Indian military undertook several successful operations aimed at countering future ULFA terrorist attacks, but the ULFA continues to be active in the region. In 2004, the ULFA targeted a public school in Assam killing 19 children and 5 adults.

Assam remains the only state in the northeast where terrorism is still a major issue. The Indian Military was successful in dismantling terrorist outfits in other areas, but have been criticized by human rights groups for allegedly using harsh methods when dealing with terrorists.

On September 18, 2005, a soldier was killed in Jiribam, Manipur, near the Manipur-Assam border by members of the ULFA.

[edit] Tripura

Tripura witnessed a surge in terrorist activities in the 1990s. New Delhi blamed Bangladesh for providing a safe haven to the insurgents operating from its territory. The area under control of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council was increased after a tripartite agreement between New Delhi, the state government of Tripura, and the Council. The government has since been brought the movement under control though certain rebellious factions still linger.

[edit] Manipur

In Manipur, militants formed an organization known as the People's Liberation Army. Their main goal was to unite the Meitei tribes of Burma and establish an independent state of Manipur. However, the movement was thought to have been suppressed after a fierce clash with Indian security forces in the mid 1990s.

On September 18, 2005, six separatist rebels were killed in fighting between Zomi Revolutionary Army and Zomi Revolutionary Front in the Churachandpur District.

On September 20, 2005, 14 Indian soldiers were ambushed and killed by 20 rebels from the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) terrorist organization, armed with AK-56 rifles, in the village of Nariang, 22 miles southwest of Manipur's capital Imphal. "Unidentified rebels using automatic weapons ambushed a road patrol of the army's Gorkha Rifles killing eight on the spot," said a spokesman for the Indian government.

Currently there are 19 separate rebel groups operating in Manipur.

[edit] Mizoram

The Mizo National Front fought for over 2 decades with the Indian Military in an effort to gain independence. As in neighbouring states the insurgency was quelled by force.

[edit] Northern India

[edit] Jammu and Kashmir

Main article: Terrorism in Kashmir

[edit] Bihar

Although terrorism is not considered a major issue in the state, existence of certain groups like the CPI-ML, Peoples war, MCC,Ranvir Sena and Balbir militias is a major concern as they frequently attack local policemen and politicians. Poor governance and the law and order system in Bihar have helped increase the menace caused by the militias. The Ranvir Sena is a militia of forward caste land owners which is taking on the might of powerful Naxalites in the area. The State has witnessed many massacres by these caste groups and retaliatory action by other groups. All the militias represent interest of some caste groups. The main victims of the violence by these groups are helpless people (including women, old and children) who are killed in caste massacres. The state police is ill equipped to take on the Ak-47, AK-56 of the militants with their vintage 303 rifles. The militants have used landmines to kill ambush police parties as well. The root cause of the militant activities in the state is huge disparity among different caste groups. After Independence, land reforms were supposed to be implemented, thereby giving the low caste and the poor a share in the lands which was till then held mostly by high caste people. However due to caste based divisive politics in the state land reforms were never implemented properly. This led to growing sense of alienation among the low caste. Communist groups like CPI-ML, MCC and People's War took advantage of this and instigated the low caste people to take up arms against establishment which was seen as a tool in the hands of rich. They started taking up lands of rich by force killing the high caste people. The high caste people resorted to use of force by forming their own army Ranvir Sena to take on the naxalites. The State witnessed a bloody period in which the groups tried to prove their supremacy by mass killings. The Police remained a mute witness to these killings as it lacked the means to take any action. However now the Ranvir Sena has significantly weakened with the arrest of its top brass. The other groups are still active. Many a times politicians use these groups for their advantage.

There have been arrests in various parts of the country, particularly those made by the Delhi and Mumbai police in the recent past, indicating that extremist/terrorist outfits have been spreading their networks in this State. There is a strong suspicion that Bihar is also being used as a transit point by the small-arms, fake currency and drug dealers entering from Nepal and terrorists reportedly infiltrating through Nepal and Bangladesh.

[edit] Punjab

During the 1970s, the Green Revolution brought increased economic prosperity for the Sikh community in Punjab. This propensity kindled a fear in the Sikh community - that of being absorbed into the Hindu fold and led to the rise of Sikh extremists. The insurgency intensified during 1980s when the movement turned violent and the name Khalistan resurfaced and sought independence from the Indian Union. Led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a politically ambitious itinerant Sikh preacher, they soon adopted violent methods to stress on their demands. Soon things turned bloody with the movement turning into terrorism, with India alleging that neighbouring Pakistan supported these rebels. In 1984, Operation Blue Star by the Indian government to stem out the movement. After intense clashes with the Indian military, Bhindranwale and his followers, who had taken refuge in the Golden Temple complex, Sikhism's most holy shrine, in Amritsar, Punjab. Indira Gandhi, India's then prime minister, ordered the military to storm the temple. After a twenty-four-hour firefight, the army successfully took control of the temple. According to Indian government sources, eighty-three army personnel were killed and 249 injured. Insurgent casualties were 493 killed and eighty-six injured. Indian observers assert that the number of Sikh casualties was probably higher.

During same year, the assassination of Indira Gandhi by two Sikh bodyguards, believed to be driven by the Golden Temple affair, resulted in widespread anti-Sikh riots, especially in New Delhi. Several thousand sikhs were assassinated during the riots, often regarded as the worst in Indian history. New Delhi police did little to stop the anti-sikh mob. Law and order was restored in the capital only after deployment of the army. Fuelled by the riots, Sikh extremists are believed to have planted a bomb on Air India Flight 182 which exploded over the Irish Sea, killing all 329 aboard. The tragedy remained the biggest aviation disaster until the 9/11 attack. Since then the Punjab Police under K.P.S.Gill and the Indian Army lead a successful series of campaigns to weed out the limited support base of the terrorists. By the mid-1990s, Punjab once again became peaceful and the economic boom of the nation quelled any lingering separatist ideas.

[edit] New Delhi

Main article: 29 October 2005 Delhi bombings

Three explosions went off in the Indian capital of New Delhi on October 29, 2005 which killed more than 60 people and injured at least 200 others. The high number of casualties made the bombings the deadliest terrorist attack in India of 2005.

[edit] Uttar Pradesh

[edit] Ayodhya crisis

Main article: 2005 Ram Janmabhoomi attack in Ayodhya

The long simmering Ayodhya crisis finally culminated in a terrorist attack on the site of the 16th century Babri Masjid -Ram Janmabhoomi Hindu temple in Ayodhya on July 5, 2005. Following the two-hour gunfight between Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists based in Pakistan and Indian police, in which six terrorists were killed, opposition parties called for a nationwide strike with the country's leaders condemning the attack, believed to have been masterminded by Dawood Ibrahim.

[edit] Varanasi blasts

Main article: 2006 Varanasi bombings

A series of blasts occurred across the Hindu holy city of Varanasi on 7 March 2006. Fifteen people are reported to have been killed and as many as 101 others were injured. No-one has accepted responsibility for the attacks, but it is speculated that the bombings were carried out in retaliation of the arrest of a Lashkar-e-Toiba agent in Varanasi earlier in February 2006. On April 5, 2006 the Indian police arrested six Islamic militants, including a cleric who helped plan bomb blasts. The cleric is believed to be a commander of a banned Bangladeshi Islamic militant group, Harkatul Jihad-al Islami and is linked to the Inter-Services Intelligence, the Pakistani spy agency.[1]

[edit] South India

[edit] Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh is one of the few southern states affected by terrorism, although of a far different kind and on a much smaller scale. The terrorism in Andhra Pradesh stems from the People's War Group or PWG, popularly known as Naxalites. The 'PWG, has been operating in India for over two decades with most of its operations in the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh. The group is also active in Orissa and Bihar. Unlike the Kashmiri insurgents and ULFA, PWG is a Maoist terrorist organisation and labor rights is one of its primary goals. These idelogical extremists aim to create equality in the society by attacking the rich and powerful landlords. Having failed to capture popular support in the elections, they resorted to violence as a means to voice their opinions. The group targets Indian Police, multinational companies, landlords and other influential institutions in the name of the rights of landless labor. PWG has also targeted senior government officials, including the attempted assassination of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. It reportedly has a strength of 800 to 1,000 well armed militias and is believed to have close links with the Maoists in Nepal and the LTTE of Sri Lanka. According to the Indian government, on an average, more than 60 civilians, 60 naxal rebels and a dozen policemen are killed every year because of PWG led insurgency. Currently the ban on the Naxalites has been lifted in the state which has led to a drastic drop in killings.

[edit] Chronology of Major Incidents

• Oct 1, 2001 - Militants attack Jammu-Kashmir assembly complex, killing about 35.
• Dec 13, 2001 - Attack on the parliament complex in New Delhi.
• Sep 24, 2002 - Militants attack the Akshardham temple in Gujarat, killing 31.
• May 14, 2003 - Militants attack an army camp near Jammu, killing more than 30, including women and children.
• Aug 25, 2003 - Simultaneous car bombs kill about 60 in the Mumbai.
• Aug 15, 2004 - Bomb explodes in Assam, killing 16 people, mostly school children.
• Oct 29, 2005 - Three powerful serial blasts in New Delhi at different places. Ist bomb explodes at 5:38 pm in Paharganj, 2nd at 5:52 pm in a DTC bus in Govindpuri and 3rd at Sarojini Nagar at 5:56 pm. The last blast is the worst. On this day the court was to hand out sentence to seven accused in Red Fort terrorist case. The explosions are widely believed to be as a result of retaliation. The Hindu festival of Deepawali is two days later on November 1 (Tuesday) and the Muslim festival of Eid on November 4 (Friday). The bombs dampen the festive spirit to a great extent. About 70 people died in this incident.
• Mar 7, 2006 - At least 21 people killed in three synchronized attacks in Varanasi.
• Jul 11, 2006 - At least 200 people killed in a series of 7 train bombing during the evening rush hour near Bombay.
• September 8, 2006 - at least 37 people killed and 125 injured in a series of bomb blasts in the vicinity of a mosque in Malegaon, Maharashtra

[edit] Indian Railways

India has hundreds of thousands of miles of railway track, and over 14,000 trains criss-cross the country every day. These are tempting targets for many of the groups described above, and attacks on trains, whether direct assaults, bombings or deliberate derailing through sabotage are common. Some are listed below.

• Brahmaputra Mail train bombing - 1997
• Kurnool train crash - 2002
• Rafiganj rail disaster - 2002
• Godhra Train Burning - 27th Feb 2002
• Jaunpur train bombing - 2005
• Bombay Suburb Train Blasts - 7/11/2006

[edit] References and notes

[edit] See also

• Operation Bluestar
• Terrorism in Kashmir
• Naxalites
• Lashkar-e-Toiba
• Bombay Blasts
• Islamic terrorism
• Mumbai Train Bombings

[edit] Notes

↑  "Sleeping over security". (26 Aug - 8 Sep) Business and Economy, p 38

[edit] External links

• Database of terrorist incidents in India (Jan. 2000 to Jul. 2006)