Security forces were burning midnight oil to ensure incident free rally of Narendra Modi scheduled to take place in communally sensitive district, Bahraich, on November 8.
Sleuths of Anti-Terrorists Squad (ATS) of both Uttar Pradesh as well as their counterparts in Gujarat are leaving no stone unturned to keep a tap on the activities of the alleged sleeping module active on Indo-Nepal border, particularly in wake of fresh advisory of Intelligence Bureau that the subversive forces had planned to strike any big gathering in the State particular during Narendra Modi’s rally.
As part of the security plan, the entire area has been divided into three zones, while a strong contigent of 25 trained commandos of Gujarat police would reach the venue on Wednesday for last minute supervisions, UP police has already taken over control of the ground where the rally would be held.
“The venue is not accessible to common people, and only BJP workers and office bearers with valid identification are being allowed,” officials said here on Tuesday. Taking no chances after the serial blasts at his rally in Patna last month, which killed six people and injured 100, the Gujarat Police has also camped in the district and is holding advance security liason drills with its counterparts in UP Police.
The security forces will undertake an anti-mine check, metal detectors will also be installed at all entry points of the venue. Bahriach is closer to the Indo-Nepal border and thus the Intelligence and other security agencies are making all possible arrangements for a fool-proof security during the rally.
local police also decided to seal the border connecting Nepal to avert any unwanted entry. Modi may address the gathering from a bullet proof enclosure in view of the threat.
Sources also confirmed that UP and Gujarat ATS stepped up its activities in Bahraich following the arrest of alleged IM operative Afzal Usmani from Rupaidiha recently.Intelligence sources said Tehsin Akhtar alias Monu, taking control of UP and Bihar at the order of IM co-founder Yaseen Bhatkal, planned to target Modi’s rally in Kanpur on October 19 but missed it. Therefore, he planted bomb blasts during Modi’s Patna rally. Now many suspects related to Patna bomb blasts have been arrested.
Gujarat ATS got active after several terrorists, including Imtiyaz, gave input including the one given by Asadullah
Haddi during his remand in Delhi and Afzal Usmani, during interrogation in Mumbai earlier. Sources further said that as per the information received from the Union home ministry, terrorist organization laskar-e-Tabia (leT),
Hizbulmujhadeen, and Shahid Bilal have joined hands to make a big strike. These organizations have entrusted the responsibility of this operation to Indian Mujahideen on the instructions of ISI. The letter also mentions that Modi is also on the radar of Dawood Ibrahim.
Meanwhile UP BJP spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak said here on Tuesday that all the arrangements for the rally have been completed and claimed that a record number of people would be attending the meeting. “ UP government should make all proper security arrangements during the rally after the threat advisory issued by the IB,” he said.