PM Narendra Modi's security reviewed after threat letter from 'ISI commandant'

A letter found by a train driver near Agra contained a threat to target Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh. The person who wrote the letter, Mohammed Mirza, claims to be an ISI commandant.

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PM Narendra Modi's security reviewed after threat letter from 'ISI commandant'
PM Narendra Modi

In Short

  • The driver of the Andaman Express found the letter on March 17.
  • Authorities ordered a sweeping security review following the threat.
  • The person who wrote the letter, Mohammed Mirza, claims to be an ISI commandant.

Around 7.30 pm on March 17, the driver of the Andaman Express going from Chennai to Jammu spotted a boulder on the train tracks near Agra. He slammed the emergency brakes but the locomotive's cattle guard was damaged after it crashed into the rock.

"The driver got down and removed the stone from the tracks. Underneath, he found a piece of paper with a letter written in Hindi. It was a threat to target Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh," a senior officer told MAIL TODAY.

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Authorities ordered a sweeping security review following the threat. The incident has left agencies searching for the writer who identifies himself as Mohammad Mirza. Officials say a similar threat was sent using the same name through a letter at Cantt station in Agra last year.

Mirza claims to be an ISI commandant and the mastermind behind several terror attacks in the country.

CASE REGISTERED

GRP registered a case and is taking the help of several security agencies including the UP anti-terrorism squad (ATS) to investigate the case.

Over 150 people died on November 21 when the Indore-Patna Express flew off the tracks. A month later, 50 people were injured when the Ajmer-Sealdah Express derailed. Authorities are probing the possibility of sabotage in these and a clutch of other train crashes.

BLASTS REPORTED NEAR CANTT RAILWAY STATION

The Agra incident has worried officials because two low-intensity blasts were reported near the Cantt railway station within that week. An explosion took place when municipality staff was collecting garbage from a dumping site. An hour later, there was another blast in a locality near the station. No casualties or damage were reported but a forensic team found traces of explosives in the second incident.

"Out of the two blasts, one appears to be a mere tyre burst of tractor trolley, while the other one was likely a crude bomb thrown on the tin roof a house," said a senior police officer. However, central security agencies have been instructed to review and redraw arrangements based on the threat letter. A special security provision should be made for the Prime Minister and Parliament building, said sources. Intelligence channels have been alerted to collect information pertaining to VIP security in Delhi and closely monitor possible movement of "inimical elements" towards the Capitals.

Several attempts have been made to attack Modi who is on the top of terror outfits' hit lists.

Alleged ISIS terrorist Saifullah, who was gunned down this month by Uttar Pradesh ATS in Lucknow, was behind a blast that took place just 200 metres away from the PM's rally in the state capital on October 11, 2016.

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ATS officers said it was a trial explosion and went unnoticed due to the loud noise of burning of effigies and crackers on Dussehra.

Officials said Saifullah was behind the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train blast in Madhya Pradesh on March 7 in which nearly 10 people were injured.

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