e-mail threatening to blow Calcutta High Court

Kolkata, Jul 29 (UNI) Panic gripped Kolkata and police swung into action after an e-mail reached media houses threatening to blow away Calcutta High Court and several other places of the city tonight.

The e-mail, claimed to have been sent by Indian Mujahideen, threatened that serial blasts would take place in the High Court, City Centre shopping mall, Science City, Nicco park, Eden Gardens, Apollo Gleneagles hospital and posh areas like Salt Lake, Park Street and New Alipore between 2200 hrs and 2300 hrs.

'' After North and West, this is the turn of Kolkata. We shall blow away these places in two hours from now. If you can prevent it, do it, '' the Hindi statement, written in English scripture said.

The mail also mentioned the number of a car, which would be purportedly used for triggering a blast in front of Calcutta High Court.

Senior police officials, including the Commissioner of Police Gautam Mohan Chakraborty, took to the street leading large forces in the threatened areas and conducted massive checking.

Bomb squads of police scouted the areas looking for existence of explosives, while policemen stopped vehicles and interrogated the occupants.

'' We are alert. We are conducting a comprehensive check everywhere possible, '' a police official said.

UNI KDG SJC SB HT2208