Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria's office has received an anonymous letter, threatening a terror attack in the city to "take revenge for the Gaza" attacks. The letter also challenges the Mumbai police to stop the attack if they can.
Though such letters and calls are nothing new, the police are not taking it lightly, especially with Eid round the corner. The crime branch has been asked to probe the incident and an alert has been sounded. The one-page typed letter, addressed to Maria, reached the control room of the city police on July 25 by post, sources said. "We will take revenge for Gaza. Maria, you were lucky in 1993 to have escaped the wrath but this time you will not. Now, we are going to carry a blast and it is a challenge for you. Stop it if you can stop. Mujahiddeen," the letter stated.
Maria had investigated the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and rounded up many members of the Dawood Ibrahim gang and many of his family members.
The other contents of the letter, typed in Hindi and English, hinted a terror attack in the city, police sources said. "We are verifying the authenticity of the letter. However, we are not taking the threat lightly. The crime branch and all police stations have been alerted," said Rakesh Maria. In 2012, the government reviewed Maria's security and provided him a bullet-proof vehicle while he was heading the Anti-Terrorism Squad. Maria enjoys Z-category security now.
While he was heading the Mumbai crime branch in 2008, Maria had also busted a module of the dreaded Indian Mujahideen and rounded up its key operatives. Maria had received threats in the past from terrorist elements as well. Since last year, the NIA, the Delhi Police and the Maharashtra Police have arrested some key Indian Mujahideen operatives, including Yasin Bhatkal. The Israeli military offensive on Gaza has claimed the lives of scores of Palestinians and left thousands of others wounded.
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