View source for 2002 Raghunath temple attacks

{{Short description|Two bombings on Hindu temples in Jammu}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Terrorist attacks in India (since 2001)}}
'''2002 Raghunath Temple bombings'''  refers to two [[suicide attack|fidayeen]] attacks in 2002 on the [[Raghunath Temple]] in [[Jammu]] in [[India]].  Built by Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1860, the Raghunath temple is dedicated to [[Hindu]] God [[Rama]].
{{Violence against Hindus in independent India}}

==March attack==
The first attack occurred on 30 March 2002 when two suicide bombers attacked the temple. Eleven people including three security personnel were killed and 20 were injured.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/oct/31raghu.htm|title=J&K: 6 acquitted in Raghunath temple attack case|work=rediff.com}}</ref> The attack occurred around 10:20 AM when the terrorists arrived, fired at the guards, and killed them on the spot. The attackers stormed the temple, threw a grenade, and fired indiscriminately at the worshippers. After expending his ammunition one of the attackers who was wearing a suicide vest blew himself up.<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020331/main1.htm Foreign ultras storm Raghunath Temple], [[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]], 2001-03-31</ref> Then Minister of State for External Affairs of India, [[Omar Abdullah]], blamed [[Pakistan]] for the terrorist attacks on the Raghunath temple in Jammu and ruled out withdrawing troops from the border, saying [[Islamabad]] had done nothing to warrant it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/04/03/stories/2002040303251200.htm|title=The Hindu : Omar Abdullah blames Pak.  for Raghunath temple attack|work=hinduonnet.com|access-date=6 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041129211934/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/04/03/stories/2002040303251200.htm|archive-date=29 November 2004|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

==November attack==
A second attacked occurred on 24 November 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/south/11/24/kashmir.temple/index.html|title=CNN.com - Heavy firing at Kashmir temple - Nov. 24, 2002|work=CNN}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/25/world/10-killed-in-attack-on-temple-in-kashmir.html 10 Killed in Attack on Temple in Kashmir], [[The New York Times]], 2002-11-25</ref> when two suicide bombers stormed the temple and killed 14 devotees and injured 45 others.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2508531.stm|title=BBC NEWS - South Asia - Kashmir temples hit by gunbattles|work=bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2514023.stm|title=BBC NEWS - South Asia - Kashmir temple reopens|work=bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Witnesses said terrorists hurled grenades and fired indiscriminately on the heavily guarded Raghunath temple.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20021125/main1.htm|title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News|work=tribuneindia.com}}</ref><ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/29444046.cms Terrorists attack Jammu temples, 12 dead], [[The Times of India]], 2002-11-24</ref> India blamed a Pakistan-based militant group, [[Lashkar-e-Taiba]], for the attack. Deputy Prime Minister [[Lal Krishna Advani]] of India blamed the chief of the [[Lashkar-e-Taiba]], [[Hafiz Muhammad Saeed]] for the attack. He was released shortly prior to the attack by the government of Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pasricha |first=Anjana |url=http://voanews.com/english/archive/2002-11/a-2002-11-25-2-Security.cfm |title=Security Increased in Jammu City Following Attack on Hindu Temple |publisher=Web.archive.org |access-date=2016-01-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915223900/http://voanews.com/english/archive/2002-11/a-2002-11-25-2-Security.cfm |archive-date=15 September 2008 }}</ref>

The personnel of [[Central Reserve Police Force]] Yatindra Nath Rai, Assistant Commandant, Dev Singh, Head Constable, E.G. Rao, Head Constable, T. A. Singh, Constable, and Late K. K. Pandey, Constable displayed conspicuous gallantry, courage and devotion to duty of a high order.<ref name="Gazette">Printed in ''The Gazette of India'', 17 December 2005</ref> Late K K Pandey was posthumously awarded the President's Police Medal for Gallantry. Yatindra Nath Rai, Dev Singh, E. G. Rao and T. A. Singh were awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry.<ref name="Gazette"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jeanpaulleblanc.com/India.htm|title=Orders, Decorations and Medals - Medals by Country - Medals of India|work=jeanpaulleblanc.com}}</ref>

== See also ==
[[List of terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2511687.stm In pictures: Kashmir temple attack], [[BBC]], 220-11-25
*[https://archive.today/20031213203142/http://www.maavaishnodevi.org/Raghunath.asp Website of the Temple]

{{Kashmir conflict}}
{{coord missing|Jammu and Kashmir}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raghunath Temple attacks, 2002}}
[[Category:21st-century mass murder in India]]
[[Category:Mass murder in 2002]]
[[Category:Suicide bombings in India]]
[[Category:Suicide bombings in 2002]]
[[Category:Attacks on Hindu temples in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Anti-Hindu violence in Kashmir]]
[[Category:2000s in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in India in 2002]]
[[Category:2002 building bombings]]
[[Category:Mass shootings in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:March 2002 in India]]
[[Category:November 2002 in India]]
[[Category:2002 mass shootings in Asia]]
[[Category:2002 murders in India]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2002]]
[[Category:Hindu temple bombings]]