Security stepped up at HAL after threat

Facility at Nashik produces MiG

NASHIK: Security has been beefed up at the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) that produces and maintains fighter planes including the prestigious SU-30 MKI for the Indian Air Force (IAF) after it received a letter of threat this week.

HAL, based at Ojhar in Nashik is a prestigious and sensitive facility that produces MiG and other aircrafts for the IAF. The HAL authorities received a letter of threat which reportedly read, “Bambai, Malegaon, ab HAL. Bas thoda intejar…”.

HAL authorities said that an envelope was received some three days back and was handed over to the police. “Given the nature of this establishment, HAL could not have taken any risk and so the police was duly informed about it. In fact, after the Malegaon bombing, security has been tightened as precaution,” stated the authorities.

Nashik has many locations which are strategically very significant, like the India Security Press, Currency Note Press, Army and Air Force installations etc. Of late security has been strengthened at all these points. However, after the letter was received by the HAL, the police have revamped certain measures and provided them with armed guards.

Over the past 6-7 months, we have been communicating with HAL regarding its security measures,” stated Rajvardhan, SP, Nashik Rural Police, adding, “We had suggested the use of CCTV and gate crashing equipments which have been put in place.”