‘Pakistan-based Indian Mujahideen behind Varanasi blast’

BRUSSELS - Indian investigators have initial leads suggesting that the Pakistan-based Indian Mujahideen terror outfit was behind the Varanasi blast, official sources said Thursday.

However, the sources said investigators were finding problems in identifying the explosives or chemicals used in Tuesday’s explosion at the Sheetla Ghat in the Uttar Pradesh temple town.

“We have no reason to disbelieve that they did it because all the leads we have, whatever indications we have, suggest that, yes, there is an Indian Mujahideen element (behind the blast),” a source who is closely monitoring the probe into the attack told IANS here.

According to the source, the Indian Mujahideen started off as an arm of the Lashkar-e-Taiba so that “they (LeT) could say it is is a homegrown Indian terror group”, the official said.

A little girl was killed and over 20 injured in the blast that went off during the evening aarti ritual at the Shitla Ghat.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here Thursday leading an Indian delegation for talks with the European Union. He will also go to Berlin on Saturday.