Was Dalai Lama – the Buddhist spiritual leader and Nobel prize winner on the hit list of terror outfits and why? The Dalai Lama is one the most revered figure across the world and especially in Buddhism. According to media reports, It all started 2010 when operatives of the Indian Mujahideen walked into Bodhgaya in Bihar and conducted a reconnaissance, with an intent to bomb the holy site.

The plan was set into motion in 2013, when operatives of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), the feeder outfit of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) struck at Bodhgaya. Nine explosions took place inside the Maha Bodhi temple and a loud message was sent out while trying to advocate the cause of the Rohingya’s.

According to Media Reports, The 2013 blast was only a grim reminder of things to come. The Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) had even put out a note speaking about a new Lashkar-e-Tayiba backed outfit might support the Rohingya cause.

A note put out by the RAW to the Indian Government stated that an organization called the Difa-e-Musalman (DeM) was set up by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba to fight in Myanmar and take up the issue. Over the years the DeM looked for associates to carry out attacks and soon it found support in Bangladesh based Hizbut Tahrir (HT). It was the HT which then outsourced the operation to target the Buddhists and plan the assassination of the Dalai Lama.

The US agencies passed critical information to the Indian agencies about the possible assassination of Dalai Lama. India was told about that Arakan in Myanmar had become the training ground for terrorists. India was also informed that terrorists were planning to sneak weapons from Thailand.

The plot to Kill Dalai Lama

Investigations over the years between 2013 and 2018 showed that the terrorists in India were backed heavily by ISI sponsored groups. India based terror groups were getting the support of the DeM, HuJI, Lashkar, Jaish-e-Mohammad among others. It was also found that support was coming in from other groups that were based in Thailand, Singapore and Bangladesh.

With the Rohingya issue being raked up once again and the Indian government making it clear that they would have to return, another plot to carry out something big was hatched. This time around the target was the Dalai Lama himself. While the plot was busted in the nick of time, the unearthing of the conspiracy revealed some major details. On January 19 2018, the police recovered explosives from the Bodhgaya temple complex.

The plot was hatched by Jahidul Islam, a resident of Bangladesh along with other residents of West Bengal that included Mustafizur Rahman, Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim and Arif Hussain.

The investigation trail was not restricted to Bodhgaya alone. It led the NIA to multiple states such as Karnataka, West Bengal and Kerala as well. Each of these states were used as a safe hideout by the terrorists.

A portion of the NIA chargesheet, in this case, read, ” in furtherance of the conspiracy, the accused persons contacted and assembled together at various places, took hideouts at Jahanabad and Masaurhi in Bihar, carried out reconnaissance of the targets at Bodhgaya and procured explosives and other materials for the manufacture of the IED.

Accused Jahidul Islam with the help of other co-accused made 3 IEDs and 2 hand grenades. The IEDs were planted by Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain and Arif Hussain in the premises of Bodhgaya on 19th Jan, 2018 in order to cause loss to public life and property during the auspicious presence of his holiness the Dalai Lama and also during the visit of the Governor of Bihar at Bodhgaya, thus committing a terrorist act.”