Prime accused in 2008 Malegaon case Thakur blames SIMI for blast that killed 6 persons

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Mumbai: BJP leader Pragya Thakur, a prime accused in the September 2008 bomb blast in Malegaon in Maharashtra alleged to have been carried out by Hindu extremists, on Thursday sought to shift the blame by claiming the explosion could have been set off by the banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Thakur's assertion was made during final arguments presented by her advocate J P Mishra in a special court in Mumbai hearing the 16-year-old case. Mishra argued that an office of SIMI was located near the blast site, asserting the incident could have been an “accidental explosion” involving explosives transported by the banned group.

The blast, which occurred on September 29, 2008, killed six individuals and injured over 100 when a motorcycle rigged with explosives detonated near a mosque in Malegaon town in Nashik district, approximately 200 kilometres from Mumbai.

During the proceedings, Mishra alleged that local residents obstructed police access to the blast site immediately following the explosion and claimed this could have been a deliberate act to shield the accused and protect individuals associated with SIMI. Whenever there is an incident such as this, people help the police. However, in this case, a large crowd gathered and pelted stones at police, preventing them from reaching the blast site, the advocate claimed. “This could have been done to shield the accused. This could have been done to protect their people (belonging to SIMI),” Mishra alleged.