All five convicted sentenced to life in 2013 Bodh Gaya serial blasts case

A special court of the National Investigation Agency on Friday sentenced all the five convicted to life imprisonment in the 2013 Bodh Gaya serial blasts case in which several people were injured, news agency ANI reported.

Special NIA judge Manoj Kumar Sinha on May 25 held Indian Mujahideen militants Imtiyaz Ansari, Haider Ali, Mujib Ullah, Omair Siddiqui and Azharuddin Qureishi guilty in the case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activity (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act.

A sixth accused in the case – Taufiq Ahmed – was less than 18 years of age and sentenced to three years in remand home by a juvenile court last year, which found him guilty of involvement in the case.

A series of nine bombs exploded in 30 minutes on July 7, 2013, around the Mahabodhi Temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bodh Gaya, injuring five people.

The temple had been on the watch-list of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing since October.

(With agency inputs)