India sentences four to death for bombing Modi rally

Four people accused of bombing a 2013 election rally for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been sentenced to death, with two others jailed for life over the deadly attack.

A series of blasts rocked a park in the eastern city of Patna soon before then-opposition leader Modi was due to address a massive crowd gathered there for a campaign event.

The attacks also targeted a nearby train station, altogether killing six people and injuring nearly 100 others.

The National Investigation Agency, the country's main counter-terrorism authority, said Monday that the accused were all from the banned Students Islamic Movements of India group.

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Public prosecutor Lalan Kumar Sinha told AFP the group was convicted on Monday for conspiring to "wage a war against the government".

The court also jailed three others implicated in the bombings for terms of between seven and 10 years.

A lawyer for the accused said the sentences would be challenged in a higher court.

"The NIA has failed to identify the mastermind in the case," Syed Imran Ghani told AFP on Tuesday.

"The accused are not terrorists and have no criminal record."