Security stepped up in Delhi after threat alerts linked to BJP headquarters

The Capital was put on high alert by the Delhi Police over the threat of a terror attack, after the Special Cell received inputs over an attack on government buildings and political party premises in Lutyens’ Delhi, officers aware of the matter said. They said specific inputs pointed to the possibility of an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters.

Officers said that the inputs were received in the aftermath of Thursday’s arrest of nine members of a network linked to Shahzad Bhatti, a gangster linked to Pakistan who operates cross-border.

The accused were involved in recruiting foot soldiers through social media platforms. “The accused were tasked with carrying out random firing at security personnel in north India and the Delhi-NCR. Some of them were allegedly involved in arms trafficking for the Shahzad Bhatti network,” said additional commissioner of police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah.

A senior officer, who refused to be named, said, “We received inputs that BJP headquarters could be targeted in a terror attack. We were also told to keep a check on nearby government offices and in Lutyens’ area. Due to last year’s car bombing terror attack near Red Fort, we started looking into suicide attacks, car bombs, weapons and IEDs.”

Police said they increased security at the BJP headquarters and across important offices in New Delhi.

A Delhi BJP functionary said, “The security has been ramped up keeping in view threat prevailing following the swearing-in ceremony of the government in West Bengal. From what we have learnt, security has been heightened at BJP headquarters nationwide. The bandobast has been there over the last couple of days.”