Little known group owns up Varanasi blasts

A little known group calling itself the Lashkar-e-Kahar has claimed responsibility for the Varanasi serial blasts of Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the group who identified himself as Abdullah Jabbar alias Abu Kahar called a local news agency on Thursday morning to claim responsibility for the blasts that killed 20 persons and injured more than 100 on Tuesday.

"If the harassment of Kashmiris and arrests don't stop we will not allow the people of India to sleep in peace," the spokesperson said, and warned of more such attacks across India.

Highly placed intelligence sources in New Delhi say that in their records, Abu Kahar is an operative linked to the Student Islamic Movement of India.

He belongs to Muzzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, but operates from Kashmir.

The sources said Abu Kahar is a small operator but not entirely unknown.

Most terrorism experts are of opinion that more than Pakistan-base outfits, the attack could be the work of a locally trained group.

The banned SIMI's involvement is under probe, the sources added.