Patna, Jul 16: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today released sketches of the suspect who could have placed 9 bombs in and around the holy Mahabodhi shrine in Bodh Gaya on July 7, in which two Buddhist monks were injured.
Investigations have so far reached a dead end, with the government announcing a Rs 10 lakh reward for clue to the arrest of the bomber.
NIA sleuths last week raided the office of Cobra security agency in Kankarbagh, Patna and the residences of 11 of its security guards to check the veracity of their statements in connection with the serial blasts.
The agency had provided guards for security inside the shrine, and NIA investigators believe one of the guards may have helped the bombers in planting the bombs with ease.
NIA sleuths also raided the security agency's office in Gaya to check the number of guards deployed in the temple on Sunday, their duty chart and antecedents as well as the agency's bank accounts to verify the transactions.
Sources said the agency was getting money from the Mahabodhi temple trust for providing security in three shifts but, actually, its guards were doing day duty in two shifts.
The agency informed the NIA that the trust's own people were doing duty during nights.
NIA, on Friday, requested the Additional district judge court in Patna to grant permission for the DNA tests of a sample collected from Bodh Gaya and to be carried to Hyderabad.
NIA sleuths have seized a monk's robe from the Mahabodhi temple. It is suspected that the accused had brought bombs inside the temple premises after wrapping themselves in such robes. He might have dropped the one in a hurry while scaling the temple wall.
"The DNA test of the robe might give some lead in the investigation," an NIA investigator said.
Latest India News
