Naxalite strike alert for shrines

OUR BUREAU

Siddhivinayak temple
New Delhi/Mumbai, Oct. 3: Home minister Shivraj Patil today warned of Naxalite attacks at “religious places”.

One such reported target came under the scanner in Mumbai with the high court asking the Maharashtra government to produce documents showing intelligence warnings of a terror strike on the Siddhivinayak temple.

Addressing a conference of directors-general and inspectors-general of police in the capital, Patil said: “They (Naxalites) are likely to use modern technologies… (and) use publicity apparatus to mislead the masses.”

He added: “They are likely to create mischief and violence at places where innocent people congregate in large numbers. Religious places can be attacked. The police may become their targets. Politicians and other important persons may also be targeted.”

The minister said sleeper cells may be found in “mega cities” and fake currency notes used “to fund terrorism”.

Patil stressed on better intelligence and pulled up some states for laxity in police modernisation.

“I am sorry to say that the funds made available are not utilised by some states in the agreed time-frames. Our request to you and the state governments is that the deficiencies in this respect may be removed and utilisation of funds increased with determination and imagination,” he said.

The Maoist-hit states have been given special funds to fortify police stations and buy armoured vehicles and de-mining and communication equipment.

In Mumbai, people living close to the Siddhivinayak temple railed at the stepped-up security measures as Bombay High Court asked the state to produce evidence of intelligence reports showing the shrine was under threat from suicide bombers.

The order came on a PIL contending the construction of a “security” wall around the temple had caused inconvenience to Prabhadevi residents.

State advocate general Ravi Kadam submitted that Mumbai police had received intelligence warnings that terror groups could target Siddhivinayak, a favourite with Bollywood stars.

The bench asked if the wall provided “foolproof security” to the temple. Kadam replied that such security was not possible, but the wall had been built to stop suicide bombers coming in vehicles.

The next hearing will be six weeks later