Varanasi blast suspect held at Mumbai airport

A Gulf-bound passenger identified as Suhaib Nadim Siddiqui was held at Mumbai airport on Saturday for his connection with the Dec 7 Varanasi blast that killed two, including an infant.

Siddiqui was handed over to Mumbai Police by the CISF personnel at the aiport after he was detained while trying to catch a Gulf bound flight, TV reports said.

There was a lookout notice against him, reports said.

Indian Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for the the blast during the evening “arati” on the bank of the Ganges.

An 18-month-old girl and an elderly woman were killed in the blast that also injured about 25 others.

The explosive was kept in the wall between two ghats and the stampede that followed the explosion, collapsing a railing on the ghat, added to the injured toll while the explosion itself was a ?medium-intensity? blast.

The explosion took place around 6:30 pm at the Sheetla Ghat, where over 5,500 people had gathered to watch the ?Maha Aarti? and offer prayers.