Lying In Wait

The spiralling violence arising out of the protest against the brutal rape and killing of a Dalit family in Kherlanji Maharashtra could, according to Stratfor, be used by Islamist terrorists to incite Hindu-Muslim riots by staging an attack on Hindus in Maharashtra. They are urging companies in Maharashtra to shut down their business until the demonstration are brought under control. Now this warning to companies to shut down could be farfetched but the possibility of Islamist terrorists using the disturbances to provoke riots is very much possible. Also Uttar Pradesh, which has a sizeable Dalit population, should also be on watch as UP has become a terror sanctuary for Islamist terrorists.

These types of protests have been known to break out spontaneously in India, but Islamist militant groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), have been desperately trying to incite communal tensions in recent months by attacking both Hindus and Muslims, particularly in Maharashtra, where Hindu-Muslim strife runs deep. The July railway attacks in Mumbai and the September mosque bombings in Malegaon failed to produce the reaction that Kashmiri militant groups, such as LeT, Al Badr and Jaish-e-Mohammed, had anticipated. The objective of these groups is to provoke riots between Hindus and Muslims across India in order to enflame Muslim anger and revitalize the Kashmir cause. There is a possibility these groups could take advantage of the current instability to stage an attack in order to further escalate the riots while security forces are preoccupied. Companies operating in Maharashtra should be aware of this threat and are urged to shut down their businesses until the demonstrations are brought under control.[Stratfor]