People celebrate Ashtami with traditional gaiety

Agartala, Oct 7 (UNI) Hundreds of devotees across the state today joined Maha Ashtami prayer, second day of Durga puja, despite fear of terrorist attacks.

Security has been tightened in all puja pandals and temples from last night.

According to reports, police have installed full-fledged frisking mechanism including metal detector in five temples where thousands of people have queued to offer prayer.

People in the city used to come out after mid-night but this year a small portion of the dwellers enjoyed puja late night and most of the shops were closed after 2300 hours, said traffic officials adding they put the 'no entry' board at 1900 hrs instead of 1500 hrs.

Fear gripped the state with the recovery of at least seven suspicious packets and bags from different places in Agartala during last 48 hours.

However, police claimed that they have got some clue from the live bomb recovered here on October 5. They also found an aluminium container with explosives, detonator and a Samsung mobile set with SIM card.

''We found the real clue in the SIM card which will be sent for analysis, said K V Sreejesheejesh, superintendent of police (West) adding that the number of SIM fitted with the explosives was 9856834686.

It was issued in favour of a tribal youth Bijay Debbarma of Mekhlibundh area in Sadar(north) and it is believed that the SIM card holder might have link with militants.

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