Srinagar: The state government has heightened the security of a senior Cabinet minister in the wake of threats by the Lashkar-e-Toiba. The security of Education Minister Naeem Akhter, who was recently threatened by the Lashkar, has been augumented, sources said.
The Lashkar had recently threatened the minister, who has ‘Z’ category security cover, of “dire consequence if he continues to force people to resume work”.The government has built a fresh bunker outside the residential quarters of legislators and Cabinet ministers at Tulsi Bagh in Srinagar to ensure their security.
Meanwhile, security was beefed up across Srinagar and south Kashmir after intelligence inputs of possible fidayeen attacks. Intelligence agencies have alerted the armed forces that two suicide squads from south Kashmir and central Kashmir’s Budgam district may sneak into the city to strike security establishments.
To foil the militant attacks, the security forces set up check posts at several places in the city. “I had to wait for several minutes to get my vehicle checked by policemen at Hyderpora as all vehicles plying on the road were stopped for checking,” said a senior government official. Check posts were also established at Abdullah Bridge, where security forces stopped pedestrians and motorcyclists and vehicles for security check. (Tribune News Service)