The police says the attack was the work of the Indian Mujahideen, though the terror group has not claimed responsibility.
A letter sent to the Bihar Police just five days ago warned that Narendra Modi, the BJP's candidate for Prime Minister, could be "targeted by rabid groups." The letter, sent by the Intelligence Bureau's branch in Patna, counters the claim by the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that there was no warning from central or state intelligence agencies that Mr Modi or his supporters could be targeted at the massive rally he held on Sunday.
Just before that rally began, six people were killed and 83 injured in a series of crude bomb explosions.
The police says the attack was the work of the Indian Mujahideen, though the terror group has not claimed responsibility.
On October 23, a letter sent by Vivek Shrivastava, Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau in Bihar, warned that "Narendra Modi, being perceived as a leader of Hindus, invokes a fair degree of dissent from a number of radical Muslim groups and may be targeted by rabid groups." The letter also stressed the "vulnerability" of Mr Modi given the recent arrest of the Mujahideen founder, Yasin Bhatkal, and the recent activities of local cells of the terror group.
The Bihar Police countered that the same letter did not offer specifics. "Presently there is no threat to the security of the VVIP visiting Patna was the first line of the letter," said Abhayanand, the Director General of Bihar Police, reading out the note to reporters this evening.
Sources also confirm that after Mr Modi was declared the BJP's choice for prime minister last month, central intelligence agencies warned all state governments that different groups were prepping to target him, and therefore any state visited by him for election rallies or other meetings should be on high alert and ensure that the leader is given maximum security.