This Article is From Dec 08, 2010

Chidambaram on Varanasi bomb blast: 'Specific intelligence was ignored'

Varanasi: Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday visited the site of Tuesday's blast in Varanasi which killed a child and left 25 people injured. He also met those wounded in the terror strike.

Addressing the media in Varanasi, Chidamabaram said that specific advisory on a terror threat to the blast site was ignored by the state government.

'We had cautioned the state governments in the run up to 26 /11 and December 6...and specific advisory of threat to Dashawamedh ghat in February this year. There may have been some laxity. There is no scope of laxity. There is a lesson for the police," the minister said.

After arriving at Babatpur airport, Chidambaram headed to the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) where several injured are being treated. Thereafter, he visited Sheetla Ghat, where the blast took place on Tuesday.

According to officials, the minister stayed at the site for nearly 10 minutes. He went to different corners of the ghat and questioned senior police officers.

While inspecting the site, Chidambaram also met the family members of Swastika Sharma - the baby girl killed in the blast.

The blast took place around 6.30 pm during 'maha aarti' attended by hundreds and sparked off a stampede. Terror group Indian Mujahideen, in an e-mail, claimed responsibility.

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