Terrorist threat to Vindhyachal; security stepped up

Mirzapur, June 5 (UNI) In the wake of intelligence reports of terrorist threat to the revered Vindhyachal shrine, security has been heightened at all the religious places here.

Following the late night intelligence reports claiming terrorists were eyeing the holy place, a large presence of PAC was garrisoned across the city, besides pressing into service a team of commandos, SP B D Palsan said today.

As soon as the news of terrorist threat reached here, commandos fanned out on the temple premises and other sensitive areas, he added.

Meanwhile, a proposal to set up a police chowki on the temple's premises was on the cards.

Vindhyachal happens to be the most revered religious site after the world famous Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. With Vindhyachal being a 'shaktipeeth', its importance and religious significance has doubled.

Uttar Pradesh is gradually becoming an epicentre of terrorist activities, with holy places being the hot favourite of the militants.

On July 5, 2005, five suspected Islamist militants attacked the site of the destroyed Babri Mosque and Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.

However, the quintet were shot down in the ensuing gunfight with the CRPF.

In 2006, ablast at the crowded Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple near the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi had killed several people and grievously wounded several others.

Last year, UP was again rocked by four blasts in May (Gorakhpur), in November (Varanasi, Lucknow and Faizabad court premises).

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