Anna Hazare threatened with HIV+ needles in anonymous letter, FIR lodged

NEW DELHI: Last week the police received a letter that threatened to inject Anna Hazare and his supporters with needles contaminated with the HIV virus. The letter said if Anna remained adamant on his Lokpal agitation, they will be attacked with the deadly virus.

The police, now beginning to take the threat seriously, have registered an FIR and begun looking for those who sent the letter. The letter states that "a needle team, which has prepared 500 HIV positive needles, would inject the virus in atleast 1,000 people at the demonstration".

This anonymous letter was sent to DCP Central office on December 9.

Delhi Police has registered an FIR under sections 505 (2) - statements conducting to public mischief, 506 (criminal intimidation) and 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) of Indian Penal Code at Daryaganj police station last week and investigations have begun. The police suspect that "this letter seems to have been posted to the DCP's office from Delhi itself".

"We are trying to ascertain the identity of the sender though, after lot of discussions, we have also come to the conclusion that it might be a prank letter sent by some criminals. But since it is related to Anna Hazare, we don't want to take any chances as there is already a threat to his life and to the large number of people who congregate at his demonstrations," said a police officer.

The letter had stated that there are around 50 "volunteers in this needle group who are trained and they would use the needles cleverly on atleast 1,000 people".