The Central government has issued an alert to the West Bengal police over a possible attack on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. According to reports, the Ministry of Home Affairs has sent intelligence inputs to the West Bengal police that a suicide attack might be carried out on Buddha Purnima i.e. on 18th May.
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The report claimed that the first intelligence input was sent to the West Bengal police on 10th May which said that something untoward might happen on May 12 and it also said that something might take place around Buddha Purnima.
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) report sent by the MHA to the West Bengal police today stated that Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) or Islamic State (ISIS) may carry out terror attack on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. The alert says that woman bomber posing as a pregnant devotee might commit suicide bombings at any conglomeration relating to Buddha Purnima. The report also stated a specific time between 6 am to 9:30 am as a very sensitive time slot.
The report also suggested the police personnel across the state to take the matter very seriously and to take a vigil at all the Buddhist temples and monasteries. The report also said that the attack might take place either in West Bengal or in Bangladesh. It is reported that intelligence had intercepted a message released by pro-ISIS telegram channels two weeks ago, warning of an attack in West Bengal or Bangladesh.
After receiving the alert, the West Bengal Police has increased security across the Hindu and Buddhist temples in the state. “We have received an alert. We have strengthened security outside the temples in the city as well as other parts of the state. We are taking no chances,” said a senior official of West Bengal Police in Kolkata.
“A similar alert was ignored by Sri Lanka authorities and we saw the number of casualties. We have immediately responded to this input and alerted all our officials to maintain highest level of alertness and preparedness to prevent any such attacks,” added the officer.