ATS denies of having received any threatening email

Mumbai, Aug 23 (UNI) Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra Police today denied that they had received any email stating that religious places in the city were under threat and could be targetted between August 25 and 28.

According to a TV report, Mumbai police have received an email today from some terrorist organization threatening to blow up schools, religious places and other public places in Maharashtra's capital between August 25 and 28.

When contacted, ATS chief Hemant Karkare said he had received calls inquring about the alleged threatening email and he had told everybody that they had not recived any such email and it was only a rumour.

He, however, said that the city police and ATS are jointly keeping an eye and have beefed up security in the metropolis ahead of the upcoming festivals.

He said security has been stepped up at all religious places across the city, railway stations, international and domestic airports and other important installations.

Mr Karkare said ahead of the Ganesh Utsav, a popular festival of the Mumbaikars, and the holy month of Ramzan, police have made all the necessary arrangement for the security.

It may be recalled that Mumbai has been on the hit list of militants for a long time. On July 11, 2006, seven serial bomb blasts occurred on the suburban trains of the Western Railway, in which 209 people were killed and over 700 others injured.

Recently, the Indian Mujahideen had also issued such threat messages, warning of an attack before the serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad last month.

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