Security at LIC's HQ in Mumbai beefed up after bomb threat

MUMBAI: Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has received an anonymous letter threatening that its headquarters at Nariman Point will be blown up on May 24 if SIMI activists recently arrested from Indore and Lucknow are not released immediately. Confirming the receipt of letter, DCP (Zone I) Brijesh Singh said LIC authorities gave them the letter on Saturday, following which security at the building has been increased.

The letter was received at the LIC headquarters on May 17. The sender claimed to be a member of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and said the building would be blown up on May 24 if their arrested activists in Indore and Lucknow were not released. In light of current scenario, the letter had to be taken seriously and hence security has been beefed up near the building. The anonymous letter does not have the address of the sender.

Police are taking the matter seriously as it comes in the wake of the Jaipur serial blasts.

Besides the mention of Indore too, it is being viewed seriously as key SIMI activists were arrested there in March this year. Safdar Nagori, general secretary of the outlawed radical Islamic organisation, was then held in Indore by the Special Task Force (STF) of Madhya Pradesh police, along with 10 other members of the outfit. Nagori is alleged to have established links with the inter-services intelligence in a bid to revive SIMI cadres.