Lucknow: Security has been beefed up in and around railway stations across Uttar Pradesh after a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) at Firozepur in Punjab received a warning letter - believed to be from Lashkar-e-Taiba.
It has been learnt that the letter states that stations in UP will be targeted with explosives and that several religious sites across the states would be targeted as well. The letter has been signed by LeT's Maulana Abu Shaikh.
Following this, concerned agencies increased the presence of security personnel across major railway stations in the state. Travellers are being repeatedly asked to report any suspicious activity they may observe and also sound an alert if they spot any unclaimed bags.
Sources have revealed that LeT could be looking to target places across Uttar Pradesh which have a large daily footfall. Railway stations have seen an increased rush due to the ongoing summer vacations and therefore, are especially susceptible to being targetted by terror outfits. Security personnel on ground though have said that they do not want to create a panic situation among people and while they are keeping a strict vigil, they are also trying to ensure the usual order of process continues unhindered.
The risk of terror attack has gone up in recent weeks with terror organisations like LeT and JuD threatening strikes. Earlier this week, a top JuD operative - Maulana Bashir Ahmad Khaki, urged Muslims to wage war during Ramzan. "Ramadan is the pious month of `Jihad-o-Qital` (Jihad and killing). Those who attain martyrdom while waging Jihad, doors of heaven remain open," he said at a public forum.
Indian security agencies, therefore, are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the nefarious designs of terror outfits do not see the light of day.
