LeT threatens to strike at Vaishno Devi

An email threatening to target the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi was purportedly sent by the banned terror outfit Lashker-e-Toiba to a hotelier in Katra to avenge the execution of 26/11 terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab, the police said on Monday.

The email was received by A H Bhat, a hotelier of Devi Grand hotel, on November 24 threatening to target the shrine to avenge the hanging of Kasab, a senior police officer aid on Monday night.

"The investigation is going on...We cannot rule out either of the two angles to it, one oax, the other threat from the terror outfit," the officer said.

"We cannot deliberate on the issue further since preliminary investigation into the matter is going on," he added.

The police have seized the computer and other equipments on which the email had been sent. Efforts are on to decode the email, the police said.

The deputy inspector general, Udhampur-Reasi, Jagjeet Kumar and other senior officials of central agencies visited Katra and reviewed the security arrangements there.

Meanwhile, an alert has been sounded in the region with additional security being being put in place. The police have intensified frisking people, checking of vehicles and keeping an eye on suspected movements.

The email could be a prank by some anti-national elements but no chances can be taken, the senior police official said.