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How LeT's plans to attack Bengaluru in 2005 were thwarted by city's traffic

An unlikely tale of traffic becoming the rescuer.

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There is never a reason to celebrate traffic jams in any part of the world. But for India, especially for those living in Bengaluru, the often cursed traffic jam was literally a life-saver in 2005.

Members of Lashkar-e-Taiba had attacked the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru on December 28, 2005.​ According to Deccan Herald, the horrible traffic situation created a dent in terrorists' plan to attack important and busy locations in the city. They had a hard time in deciding upon their target owing to poor commuting logistics and had chosen three other high-profile places in the city before attacking the institute.

According to the police, the terrorists wanted to attack Le Méridien hotel, Sankey Road, where there was a seminar by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom). But they were unable to find an optimal way of entering the hotel.

They later chose to attack the PES Institute of Technology in Hosakerehalli as a seminar was going to be held there. But failure to find an escape route made them drop this plan.

Finally, they decided to target Indian Institute of Management on Bannerghatta Road. But the city's infamous traffic made sure they did not reach the location on time and the seminar they were planning to attack ended even before they arrived at the location. 

They decided to find a target location again and locked in on IISc as there was simple escape route and it was close to their homes in Kempapura, Hebbal. One professor died and four were injured in the incident. But the terrorists had planned a deadlier attack, but luckily for those at the institute, the AK-47 belonging to a militant got jammed. The militants also could not throw a grenade without removing the pin during the attack. These factors helped lower the number of casualies in the attack.

These details about the operation and planning were given to the police by Habib Mia, terrorist brought from Agartala, Tripura to the city. He is accused of helping main accused in the IISc attack ,​Noorullah Khan alias Sabahuddin, ​and two others flee to Bangladesh.

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