CHANDIGARH: Within twenty-four hours, the Golden Temple has once again received another bomb threat. This time, an email has warned of RDX explosives at the holy shrine. Meanwhile, security has been increased.
Sources said that the email claims that explosive material, specifically RDX, has been packed inside pipes within the temple premises, aiming to cause blasts inside the shrine.
Both the central and state agencies are jointly working and analysing the digital footprints and are trying to track down the origin of the email. "The language used in this email is almost similar to the earlier mail, so it might be possible that the sender might be the same,’’ said an official on condition of anonymity.
Thus, police personnel and commandos have been stationed around the Golden Temple complex, and strict surveillance is being maintained on every individual entering or exiting the area, in addition to bomb disposal squads and sniffer dogs.
The email sent yesterday had warned of a blast at the langar hall (community kitchen hall) on the temple premises. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Secretary Partap Singh said that they have received the mail today morning, following which the police were informed of the threat and added that the content of the fresh threat email is almost similar to that which was received yesterday.
He said that those who make such threats have no religion of their own and their only aim is to spread fear among people. "People of all religions come to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, and a few mischievous elements are uncomfortable with this unity and have once again issued threats not only against the Golden Temple but also against other religious places, ” he said.
He urged the state government to immediately trace and apprehend the culprits, stressing that such actions should be met with strict punishment.
The SGPC has also written a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann which stated, "Another email has been received, this time warning about a conspiracy to place RDX at Golden Temple. We request urgent attention to this serious matter.”
Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that they are close to solving the case as the investigations are going on, and a breakthrough is expected soon.