City on terror radar for Ganesha festival

City on terror radar for Ganesha festival
Deccan Herald

Bangalore figures on the hit list of terrorist targets during Ganesha Chaturthi festival along with Mumbai, which has been put on red alert...

Bangalore figures on the hit list of terrorist targets during Ganesha Chaturthi festival along with Mumbai, which has been put on red alert.

According to highly-placed Intelligence sources, Pakistan-based militant organisations Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) have planned a series of attacks during the festival beginning on Sunday till Ananthchaturdashi, when the Ganesha idol will be immersed in water bodies.

The most sensitive areas include RBANMs Ground near Ulsoor, Shivajinagar, Tannery Road, Venkateshpura in KG Halli, Jagjivan Ram Nagar, Mysore Road, Tilaknagar, Munireddy Palya (JC Nagar), Chamrajpet and other communally sensitive areas.

“These are the places where large numbers of people get together to celebrate the festival. The biggest processions for immersion are also taken out from here,” said a police officer. The objective behind the attacks during festival time is to create panic and communal tension in the City.

“There is information that the militants may use improvised explosive devices (IED) or time bombs. Usually, during the procession, people burst firecrackers. The IED may set off at the same time confusing people and leading to a stampede,” he said.

Security has been scaled up in the City and police personnel have been deployed in uniform and mufti to prevent any kind of mishap. City Police Commissioner N Achuta Rao had a meeting with all senior police officers on Friday regarding security arrangements.

“As a further preventive measure, instructions have been issued to jurisdictional police stations to pick up anti-social elements in the areas,” he added.

The police have also asked the organisers of Ganesha pandals and puja committees to be on the guard and have cautioned them against “anti-social elements.”

The security in all Indian metros has been beefed up following the Mumbai bomb blasts in July. It will continue to be stringent till Deepawali.

It may be recalled that two years ago, there was a militant attack in a busy market place in Delhi on the eve of Deepawali.