Date:22/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/22/stories/2007082257340300.htm

Other States - Orissa

E-mail threat to Assembly puts police on tenterhooks

Special Correspondent

BHUBNESWAR: A thorough search operation was carried out on the State Assembly premises here on Monday night after an e-mail was received at the Chief Minister’s Office threatening to blow up the building.

The police swung into action after the message carrying the threat reached the Chief Minister’s official e-mail address on Monday evening. However, no explosive material could be traced till Tuesday evening, the police said.

The sender of the message, who identified himself as Gagan Patnaik, said explosives were planted on the Assembly premises and it would be exploded within a period of 15 days.

A senior police official told The Hindu that no case was registered till Tuesday evening. However, investigations were on to trace the source of the message, he said.

As the security wing of the police remained busy with the search operation to find out if there was any explosive material planted in the Assembly premises, security was tightened in the building as well as the Secretariat.

As entry into the Secretariat was made strict during the day, the police said the security arrangements in and around the two buildings would be reviewed soon to prevent any untoward incident.