All important installations, including Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya, Taj in Agra, Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and railway stations across Uttar Pradesh, have been put under intensive security net in view of the terrorist threats issued on Friday through various means.
The various terrorist outfits through letters, e-mails and SMSs had threatened to strike in UP on Friday, which necessitated the stringent security measures across the state, the reports reaching Lucknow at the state headquarters said.
Threats ranging from striking some railway installations, Ayodhya complex and historical monuments, including the world famous Taj, have prompted the UP government to tighten security and maintain utmost vigil at all sensitive places in the state. These threats were received immediately after the bomb blasts in Jaipur on May 13.
The railway, bus stations and other vital roads have been put under watchful eyes of security forces at all the major and small cities across the state with centralised monitoring at the state headquarters, UP Secretary (Home) Mahesh Kumar Gupta told UNI in Lucknow.
He said despite the threats, there was no specific intelligence inputs of the possible terrorists attack in UP, the maximum security was being ensured everywhere in the state. Additional forces were deployed at several places in the state, he said.
UP was already put on high alert after the Jaipur blasts and subsequent threats of similar attack in this state as well, Gupta informed.
"No suspicious activity or alarming incident has so far been reported from anywhere in the state," the state secretary added.
A report from Agra quoting District Police Chief Mohit Agarwal said that additional security forces had been deployed in and around Taj, Sikandara fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Bateshwar, Railway stations and other crowded places of tourist importance. It may be recalled that the terrorist outfit 'Guru-e-Hind' had threatened to strike in Agra on May 23.
The entry points of the Taj had been put under surveillance unit since Friday night leaving no scope of any laxity in the security arrangements, the report added.
The entry of bicycles within 300 mt radius of Taj had also been banned in view of Friday's threat, particularly in view of the fact that the bicycle bombs were suspected to be used in Jaipur blasts, it said.
Another report from Faizabad said a fool-proof security dragnet had been thrown around the sensitive Ram Janambhoomi complex at Ayodhya, while the other places were under strict surveillance in view of the threat from terror outfit Harkat-ul Jihad-e-Islami.
Gopesh Khanna, Superintendent of Police (City), Faizabad, said the barriers were erected at several entry points, while intensive frisking and search of PCOs had been taking place since last night in the twin cities of Faizabad-Ayodhya.
Similarly, the Krishna Janambhoomi at Mathura was under strict security monitoring, while the road in front of Krishna Janambhoomi had been closed for two days in view of the intelligence inputs, Senior Superintendent of Police of Mathura R K Chaturvedi told UNI over phone.
The security was beefed up around Banke Bihari temple of Vrindavan and other religious places in Mathura also, he said.
Same security ararangements had been ensured at Kashi Vishwanath temple, Sankat Mochan temple and other places of tourist importance in Varanasi, which had gone through the agony of serial bomb blasts taken place on March 7, 2006, klling many people.
Special security arrangement had been made at important railway installations in the state specially after a specific threat was received by the railway authorities to blow up some railway stations.
Additional Director General of Police, Railways, S N Chak said the threats received might not be serious in nature, but still all possible security was being ensured to thwart any attack, if taken place.
"The railway police is on high alert with senior officers monitoring the situation every minute," he told UNI in Lucknow.