Security in Uttar Pradesh’s temple town Ayodhya has been increased following a threat from Khalistani terrorist and Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who claimed to target Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and other Hindu temples on November 16 and 17.
Pannu released a video message on Monday, reportedly recorded in Canada’s Brampton, in which he claimed, “We will shake the foundations of Ayodhya, birthplace of the violent Hindutva ideology.
His message is seen as a direct threat to one of India’s most sacred sites that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January this year.
Following the threat from Pannun, surveillance measures in Ayodhya have been increased and CCTV as well as drone cameras have been deployed to keep a round-the-clock vigil in key areas, particularly around Ram Janmabhoomi complex.
A report by Hindustan Times quoted Ayodhya range inspector general (IG) of police Praveen Kumar as saying, “Ayodhya is already fortified and police as well as paramilitary forces deployed here are ready to counter any terror threat round the clock.”
“The police, however, are cross checking the authenticity of Pannun’s viral threat message being circulated on social media,” Kumar further said.
“Following the threat, we have strengthened security,” SSP RK Nayyar was quoted as saying by ToI.
The HT report also quoted another senior cop as saying that elaborate security arrangements have been made in the ongoing Kartik Parikrama Mela which will conclude on November 15.
He further said that earlier also such threat videos had surfaced in which Khalistani terrorists and other terror organisations had threatened bomb blast and ‘Fidayeen’ attack in Ayodhya but the law enforcement agencies managed to avert them.
Meanwhile, Pannun, who was designated as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in July 2020, also announced disrupting activities by Indian diplomats holding life certificate camps for the diaspora in Canada.
In his video message, Pannun declared that Khalistan supporters would continue countering Indian diplomats and warned Indo-Canadians to keep their distance, advising them not to become “fodder” in the fight for Khalistan.
With inputs from agencies.
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Indian agencies beef up security up after Pannun’s ‘will shake foundations of Ayodhya’ threat
