New Delhi, Sep 19 : This is the second time that the historic Jama Masjid in the walled city has become the target of 'mysterious' attacks since 2006, when two explosions took place inside the shrine leaving 14 injured.
On April 14, 2006, two explosions inside the 17th century mosque soon after the evening Friday prayers had left 14 people injured. But, no outfit had claimed responsibility for the incident and no arrests have been made so far.
Two Taiwanese nationals were injured when unidentified men fired several rounds on a tourist bus outside the Jama Masjid, a major tourist attraction in the heritage-rich old city of the national capital. The attackers fled from the spot on a motorcycle.
Both Sunday's and the 2006 attack have taken place on a public holiday when more people throng the mosque for prayers as well as to visit the shrine.
While today was Sunday, April 14, 2006 was a public holiday on account of B R Ambedkar Jayanti.
Though it is not yet clear whether it is a terrorist attack, the Indian Mujahideen terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
Even in the 2006 attack, police had suspected the role of local groups, but have not made arrests in this connection till date.
After the 2006 attacks, the Delhi Police had put the entire Walled City under a hi-tech CCTV surveillance system and installed CCTVs inside and outside the mosque.
But, none of the 20 CCTVs at the Masjid here were working and officials had recently returned them to the Wakf Board which had installed them.
The mosque authorities claim they have been telling the Union Home Ministry, verbally and in writing, to increase the security at the mosque, which witnessed two bomb blasts in quick succession on April 14, 2006.
Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari had in May this year written to Home Minister P Chidambaram seeking to upgrade security at the mosque and suggested measures like installing CCTVs and deployment of CRPF personnel. PTI
