Incident Summary:
09/29/2008: On Monday evening at 2130, a bomb blast killed four people and wounded 61 others during evening prayers of Ramadan at a hotel near a mosque in the busy Bhikhu Chowk area in the Bikku market of Malegaon town, Maharashtra province, India. Authorities believe the bomb, which contained nuts, bolts and ball bearings packed with 6.6 pounds of explosives, were left on a silver motorcycle left near the scene. The specific motive for the attack is unknown although the town has a history of violence between Hindus and Muslims. No claim responsibility was made for the incident.
Overview
GTD ID:
200809290010
When:
2008-09-29
Country:
India
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Maharashtra
City:
Malegaon
Location Details:
The bombing attack took place at a hotel near a mosque in the busy Bhikhu Chowk area in the Bikku market of Malegaon town, Maharashtra province, India.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Business |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
A hotel |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Target Type: Religious Figures/Institutions |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
Civilians attending evening Ramadan prayers at a nearby mosque were also targeted. |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Unknown |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Vehicle |
Weapon Details |
An improvised explosive device, which contained 6.6 pounds of unknown explosives, nuts, bolts and ball bearings and placed on a silver motorcycle, was used in the bombing attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The available sources listed the injuries for these attacks from 20 to 82 so these figures have been averaged in order to preserve statistical accuracy in the database. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Unknown |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
4 Fatalities / 61 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
4 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
61 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Reuters, "Five Killed by Bombs in Western India," Reuters, September 29, 2008. |
Press TV, "Bombings Kill 8, Injure 80 in India," September 29, 2008, http://www.presstv.ir/Detail.aspx?id=70902§ionid=351020402. |
South Asia Terrorism Portal, "Four Persons Killed and 70 Injured in Blast in Maharashtra," September 30, 2008, http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news.asp?date1=9/30/2008#5. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties