Sikh terrorists threatens to explode Shillong

Shillong, Dec 23 (UNI) Meghalaya has been put on high alert after the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) has threatened to blow up Shillong and high security installations in the state, a police official said today.

Yesterday, the BKI known of maintaining a close-nexus with Pakistan's Inter Service Intelligence and Germany-based terrorist groups sent an e-mail to a local English daily.

"By the end of this month (December), we are going to explode (blast) bombs in Shillong city to take revenge on Khasi Students' Union for committing atrocities on Punjabis residing in Sweepers Colony (Punjabi Colony) in Iewduh in previous years and for India's oppression on us," BKI' regional commander (North East) Balwinder Singh said.

Even, as various security agencies are still authenticating the origin of the e-mail, the state police here are taking no chances and instructed local police to keep an extra alert in certain sensitive areas of the city.

"We are already on the job tracing the origin of the e-mail, the public need not be panic as it could be a prankster," State Director General of Police B K Dey Sawian told UNI here.

Condemning the BKI's threat to explode Shillong and security forces installations, KSU President Samuel Jyrwa urged the indigenous people of the state to stand united.

"We are not afraid of the threat, we will continue to protect our land and people," Mr Jyrwa said.

Earlier, the Meghalaya government had planned to shift Sweepers Colony to the outskirts, which drew stiff opposition from an organisation representing a section of sweepers in the city.

Some residents of the colony, even filed a case in the court against the government move and the matter is still pending.

UNI