IM plans to abduct Kejriwal for Bhatkal

Plot to hijack plane from B'lore, too

Police said terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) has plans to abduct Arvind Kejriwal for the release of Yaseen Bhatkal, but the Delhi chief minister on Sunday doubted the alert and refused to take security.

The IM also reportedly threatened to hijack a plane from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Bangalore, to secure Bhatkal’s release.

A senior police officer said the Delhi chief minister was briefed about the threat and asked to take “Z” category security cover, a suggestion which Kejriwal rejected with a scorn. Kejriwal called the development a political conspiracy hatched by the Centre and police and termed it “foolish”.

A senior officer of the Special Cell of Delhi Police said the department received information about the threat to Kejriwal. However, other officers in the Special Cell contacted by Deccan Herald said they did not have information on any such development.

Commissioner of Police Bhim Sain Bassi said he “would find out about it”.

Kejriwal wrote on Twitter that police officers informed him about the threat and told him not to disclose the information to the media, but did it themselves later. “Are Delhi Police and Central govt playing politics with my security,” he tweeted on Sunday evening.

He later said police have made him vulnerable as anybody can attack him to put blame on the IM. “Is Delhi Police so foolish or are they playing politics? At whose instance,” he asked. He then went on to say that he wouldn’t take security and reiterated that he was not afraid for his life as he believed in god.

Meanwhile, security was tightened at Bangalore airport following a reported alert by intelligence agencies to the Karnataka government about a terrorist ploy to hijack a plane.

Though none of the officials was ready to come on record about the intelligence alert and the security beef-up, sources said additional forces have been deployed at the airport and a high alert sounded to avert a repeat of the situation that followed the 1999 Kandahar plane hijack. Police sources said all inbound and outbound flights are being subjected to a thorough check.

However, senior officials denied any such developments. An official said there were some routine alerts as Yasin Bhatkal was brought to the state capital for questioning in the Chinnaswamy Stadium blast case and there was no specific alert about any hijack plot.