The U.S. State Department has issued a travel warning to all Americans traveling to India this week after tourists were injured in a drive-by shooting at Delhi’s main mosque, Jama Masjid, on Sunday.
The violence has many countries like Australia and Britain issuing similar travel alerts as elite athletes from 72 nations prepare to descend upon Delhi for the Commonwealth Games, the third-largest multi-sport event in the world.
The attack took place in the morning as members of a crew of Taiwanese documentary filmmakers touring India were getting into their bus. Two men on a motorbike opened fire on the group, injuring two Taiwanese nationals.
A little more than two hours after the attack, a car parked near the Jama Masjid police station exploded, ignited by a bomb created from a pressure cooker.
The bombing caused no injuries, but the two Taiwanese tourists were hospitalized at Lok Nayak Hospital for their injuries, with one still in critical condition as of Monday.
Though there is no confirmed connection between the shooting and the car bomb, the BBC’s Hindi branch received an email from the Indian Mujahideen (IM), a local terrorism group, claiming responsibility.
BBC News reports that the IM’s statement threatens an attack at the Commonwealth Games as a response to the recent killings of Muslims in Kashmir.
Local police and Commonwealth Games Federation officials have downplayed the threat to the games, but the U.S., Britain and Australia, which are participating in the games, released travel warnings on Monday. Taiwan has issued no alert for its citizens traveling to India.
The Australian government warned travelers that there was a high risk of terrorism surrounding the Commonwealth Games, and spectators and athletes should be on high alert.
The British High Commission issued a more comprehensive warning that there is a high threat from terrorism throughout India and that British nationals should stay away from places that Westerners are known to congregate such as restaurants, hotels and markets, and to exercise caution when using public transportation.
The U.S. Embassy in Delhi expanded on a warning already in place over controversy surrounding the burning of Qurans in the United States. The embassy asked American travelers to act with caution and maintain a low profile.
The travel warnings will stay in places as athletes and delegates start arriving in Delhi for the games on September 23.
This is not the first time that tourists and tourism centers have been targeted by terrorists in India. In 2008, terrorists attacked prominent hotels and tourist and business areas in Mumbai, killing 166 people including 28 foreigners.
By Adriana Padilla at PeterGreenberg.com.
Related Links: Hindustan Times, Christian Science Monitor, Hindustan Times
Related Links on PeterGreenberg.com:
- Mumbai Attacks Shouldn’t Deter Travelers
- Reflections on Mumbai and the Future of India Tourism
- Tourist Centers Targeted in Mumbai Terror Attacks
- How Safe Is My Hotel? An In-Depth Look At Hotel Security
- Ask the Locals Travel Guide: Mumbai, India
- Off the Brochure Travel Guide: New Delhi, India
- Travel Safety & Security section
