Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had earlier dismissed an enhanced threat perception for Modi. However, he may have to reconsider his stance on the subject, says Vicky Nanjappa
Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi needs more security as he is the target no. 1 for terrorists in India right now.
This is what Delhi police, who busted a module of the Indian Mujahideen in Rajasthan on Sunday and arrested four operatives, is set to tell the Union home ministry.
Policemen recovered a shocking amount of explosives -- 250 kg -- from the IM operatives during the bust.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had earlier dismissed an enhanced threat perception for Modi. However, he may have to reconsider his stance on the subject.
Meanwhile, police teams in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have been directed to hunt for IM modules across their respective states.
Security will be beefed up at all the sites where Modi is scheduled to address a political rally while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.
One of the four arrested operatives, Waqas Ahmed, is believed to be the third most powerful leader in the Indian Mujahideen, after its chief Yasin Bhatkal and Assadullah Akthar.
He has participated in the planning of several serial blasts in India.
This time, the Pakistan-based operative wanted to target Modi, believe officials of India’ security agencies.
Waqas’s first stint with the Indian Mujahideen started in 2010, when he slipped into Varanasi from Pakistan.
He has been part of major terror plans like the 13/7 blasts in Mumbai, the Jama Masjid shoot-out in Delhi, the blasts in Varanasi and the Dilsukhnagar blasts in Hyderabad.
He specialises in assembling the explosives for the bombs and had, during the 13/7 blasts in Mumbai, planted one of the bombs.
Given the amount of explosives and ammunition seized from the IM operatives, intelligence sleuths fear that Waqas and the three others were planning a major strike.
The police believe that Waqas and his associates wanted to target Modi in Rajasthan, where the PM candidate is scheduled to address a large number of rallies.
The IM has earlier tried, and failed, to target Modi during his rally in Patna.
Various intelligence inputs had repeatedly suggested that Modi was primary target for the dreaded terror outfit.
Image: BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi
