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On 5 July 2005, six terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba[1] attacked the makeshift Ram temple at the site, claimed by both Hindus and Muslims,[2][3] of the destroyed Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, India. Five of the terrorists were shot dead in the ensuing gunfight with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF); the other blew himself up in an explosive-laden Jeep during a grenade attack that his accomplices had launched to breach the cordoned wall.[1] The attack killed two area residents. The CRPF suffered seven casualties,[4] two of whom were seriously injured with multiple gunshot wounds.[5]
Following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, a makeshift temple had been constructed in the city of Ayodhya. According to Hinduism the site was the birthplace of Hindu deity King Rama. The site is therefore claimed by both Hindus and Muslims.[2][3] On 5 July 2005, the heavily guarded complex was attacked by six armed terrorists. The attack was foiled by security officials and the attackers were killed.[4]
The terrorists were from the Islamist terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, and were believed to have entered India through Nepal. They posed as pilgrims on their way to Ayodhya, and boarded a Tata Sumo at Akbarpur, near the Kichaucha village in Ayodhya District. Then, in nearby Faizabad, they abandoned the Sumo and hired a jeep driven by a driver, Rehan Alam Ansari. According to a statement by the driver, the terrorists visited the Ram (Temple) at Ayodhya where they prayed, possibly to reinforce the impression that they were indeed pilgrims. The terrorists then drove the jeep into the site, and forced the driver out of the vehicle, banging the jeep against the security cordon. One attacker killed himself in the jeep by detonating it, damaging the surrounding structures at the site.[6] At 9:05am, they hurled M67 grenades from 50 metres away to breach the cordon fence. Ramesh Pandey, a pilgrim guide who happened to be near the site at this moment, died on the spot as a result of the grenade blast. Firing indiscriminately, the five remaining terrorists entered the Mata Sita Rasoi. Returning the gunfire, a platoon of 35 CRPF soldiers killed all five of the terrorists in a gunfight that lasted for over an hour. Three CRPF soldiers also received serious injuries and, as of July 2008, two remain comatose. All the terrorists died within 70 metres of the site.[7] Two local residents were also killed in the attack.[8] Strict precautions were taken all over India to protect minorities wherever retaliatory killings were anticipated.[7]
Investigation
The assailants were suspected to belong to the Islamic terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba. The investigating team tracked the phone calls made from the cell phones carried by the terrorists using the IMEI numbers. The Police recovered a single RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher, five Type 56assault rifles, five M1911 pistols, several M67 grenades and some jihadi documents.[9] Rehan Alam, the jeep driver, was detained by the police for further investigations.[10]
On 28 July 2005, four Muslim men from Jammu and Kashmir – Akbar Hussain, Lal Mohammad, Mohmmad Naseer and Mohmmad Rafeeq – were arrested in connection with the attack. On 3 August 2005, another four Muslim men – Irfan, Ashiq Iqbal alias Farooque, Shakeel Ahmed and Mohammad Naseem – were arrested and eventually sentenced to life term imprisonment and fined Rs 40,000 each; a fifth man, Mohammad Aziz, was acquitted.[9] One of the victims' sons, dissatisfied with the acquittal, appealed to the government to intervene.[11]
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