IM hired outsiders to carry out its dirty work

The aim of the Varanasi blast was not to cause a large number of casualties, but to create panic and remind India about the existence of Indian Mujahideen, sources involved in investigating the blast told rediff.com.

The low-intensity blast at Sheetla Ghat on Tuesday had killed a two-year-old child and injured scores of others.

The sources pointed out that the men who planted the bomb were hired to do so; they were not members of the IM.

The IM wanted to ensure that the whole country gets a rude reminder of their presence, but was wary of leaving a trail that could lead back to the terror outfit.

Arrested IM operative T Nasir, while speaking about planning the Bengaluru blasts during his interrogation, had said that they were told not to use any local member from the outfit.

According to sources, the men hired to plant the bombs may not be aware of the consequences of their actions. They are told to leave a packet at a specific location and paid an amount between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000 for the job. They are warned against trying to look inside the parcel or ask questions about it.

The security agencies have a tougher time identifying these men as they don't have criminal records.

The reconnaissance in the Varnasi blast was carried out by local IM operatives, said sources. They added that the terror outfit zeroed in on the spot as it is always crowded and it is easy to plant a bomb there.

Nasir had told his interrogators that he had hired a couple of labourers to plant bombs before the Bengaluru blasts. The men were ready to carry out the task in return of money and some food.

They may not have known that they were aiding a terror act, said sources, adding that they just planted the bomb in a sealed packet at the specific location.

Though the forensic report of the Varanasi blast is yet to be made public, preliminary investigations indicate that ammonium nitrate was used to assemble the bomb.

The leads gathered by the investigators so far -- including the material used, the modus operandi and the email -- all point to the IM. An Interpol alert has been sounded against IM member Dr Shahnawaz, who is believed to have masterminded the operation and is currently hiding in Sharjah.

The police are also looking for Asadullah Akthar in connection with the blast. They are going through the interrogation reports of arrested terrorists like Salman alias Chotu and T Nasir to glean further clues.