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Militants storm Gandhinagar
temple
GANDHINAGAR:
At least four people were reported killed as two armed terrorists stormed
the sprawling Akshardham temple complex on Tuesday evening.
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SEQUENCE
OF EVENTS
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- Unindentified armed
gunmen enter the Swaminarayan temple in Gandhinagar around 5.30
pm.
- They open fire
indiscriminately at people inside the temple. 4 worshippers die.
- Commandos rush
to the spot and surround the temple. Gunabattle on.
- A govt official
tells a private TV channel that 2 or 3 people entered the temple.
- The temple is about
2 km away from the state secretariat
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The exact number of casualties was not known
but eye-witnesses reported several bodies of those dead and injured being
taken out of the temple complex.
Unofficial sources said at least 4 persons
were killed in the attack which took place around 5 pm and another 15
were injured. Those injured were shifted to the civil hospital here.
As per TV reports, a team of commandos is
being rushed to Gandhinagar.
The attack comes just a few hours after
US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca arrived in New Delhi for
a four-day India visit.
The temple belongs to one of the Swaminarayan
sects and had been visited, among others, by the former American President
Bill Clinton after the earthquake last year.
Eye-witnesses said they had heard gun-shots
from inside the temple, which is located quite near to the VVIP enclave
in Gandhinagar, which houses several senior ministers and officials.
The police said the attack could be in retaliation
to the communal riots in Gujarat earlier this year.
Akshardham was set up by followers of Lord
Swaminarayan, who lived from AD 1781-1830.
Republished from AFP [
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2002 05:45:30 PM ]
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