LeT threat to Badal, prominent places

Chandigarh, Oct 19 (UNI) Lashkar-e-Toiba has threatened to blow up important northern railway stations, major bus stands and religious places and assassinate political leaders in Punjab including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, police said.

Police said adequate security meaures had already been made for the Chief Minister and other leaders, in the wake of the letter and recent Ludhiana blast.

The letter written by the militant group, sent to DRM Ferozepur Railway Division in Punjab, had warned that bomb blasts would be carried out from October 21 to 25.

Reacting to the threat, Mr Badal told reporters in Amritsar today that he was not perturbed by the alleged threats and treated them as a ''part of public leader's life'' adding that he would continue to lead his life as usual. The Chief Minister is covered under Z plus security.

Meanwhile, a report from Ambala said Railway authorities reviewed security arrangements in Ambala Cantonment Railway Station here after getting a copy of the threat letter.

The joint team of officers comprising ADRM R K Saxena, GRP, SP Bharati Arora and RPF Commandant Z A Khan went round the station to identify the vulnerable points and discussed steps to make security inpenetrable, including installation of Close Circuit TVs.

Following receipt of the letter, instructions were issued on to all the Railway stations to take necessary security measures, Government Railway Police (GRP) SP Bharati Arora said.

It was decided to beef up security in the wake of threats being received from militant outfits.

All trains coming to the station were being searched jointly by the GRP and Railway Protection Force.

Luggage of the passengers boarding the trains was being searched and suspected people entering the stations were being questioned intensively.

The threatening letters were being received by the Railways for the last one year but the Intelligence Agencies have not been able to make any breakthrough regarding such threats so far.

Ambala being the important station, has remained on the hit-list of militants and had faced bomb tragedies, including Jhelum Express train blast, during the last years.

UNI