Gaya (Bihar), Nov.6 (ANI): Gaya Police on Tuesday arrested a man who threatened to blow up the world-famous Mahabodhi Temple, through phone messages.
Buddhist scriptures describe the city as the "Navel of the Earth", and 100,000 pilgrims and tourists visit it every year, packing the town of Bodh Gaya and the Mahabodhi Temple.
An ancient Peepal tree, Ficus religiosa or sacred fig, grows at the back of the temple, said to be a descendent of the one Buddha sat under for three days and nights in the sixth century B.C., before finding the answers he sought under a full moon.
Speaking to reporters, Gaya's Superintendent of Police, Akhtar Hussain said Mukesh Gilgit had threatened to blow up famous temples of the city including the Mahabodhi Temple.
"There is the Mahobodhi Temple and the Vishnu Temple. He had sent us messages that I am an ISI agent I will blow up these temples. There is no question of him accepting his guilt or not, as he is mentally unstable," said Hussain.
"We have arrested him, Mukesh Gilgit. He is a little mentally unsound, as I said, although he is also a village head. We have seized the mobile and SIM card from him through which he sent the messages," said Hussain.
Earlier, a Special Task Force (STF) was deployed at the temple on a permanent basis to ensure its security.
The Bodh Gaya temple management committee and the district police had deployed additional security officials, so as to avert any untoward incident.
Inside the temple compound, in front of a giant golden statue of Buddha, pilgrims from Japan, Sri Lanka, China, Thailand and the West kneel and chant. Outside, others collect fallen leaves from the giant tree and others growing in the temple courtyard. (ANI)
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