Security up at rly stations after JeM threat letter

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 17

Security has been beefed up at railway stations in the region following a threat letter isued by Jaish-e-Mohammed (Jem) area commander Mansoor Ahmed to the Ferozepur division DRM.

In the letter, it is stated that Jaish would avenge the killing of jihadis and blow up Firozpur, Jalandhar, Faridkot, Amritsar and Barnala railway stations on May 13.

After the threat, the district police along with the Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) have stepped up vigil at the Bathinda railway station.

It is learnt that after the letter, even intelligence agencies have also issued instructions to the police regarding intensifying vigil at railway stations across the state.

Security personnel are keeping a close eye on activities of passengers at the railway station to avoid any untoward incident.

Bathinda SSP Nanak Singh said: “He talked to GRP officials today and checked security measures at the station.”

Bathinda GRP SHO Khushwant Singh said: “We have beefed up the security at the station and on trains. A joint team of the GRP and the RPF is conducting a search operation at the station and on trains.”

He urged passengers to pass on every information concerning anti-social elements and their activities on platforms and trains. On getting vital information, the police would act swiftly.

He also appealed to people to cooperate with the police during security checks.

The SHO stated that as per orders of higher officials, the security checks would be continued everyday and special teams were formed to inspect the railway station.

The police face an uphill task as there are no metal detectors at the local railway station and a few of the installed CCTV cameras installed are also not working properly. Moreover, with several entry and exit points to the station, it has become a Herculean task to check the security of the station.

In 2014, another terror outfit, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has threatened to blow up the Bathinda railway station. Then, Karim Ansari, Karachi-based commander of the LeT, had written a letter in which he had threatened to blow up all major railway stations, including Bathinda, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Sri Ganganagar, Jodhpur and Bikaner.