Bomb threat to Saibaba temple, Thackeray residence

Security at the famous Saibaba shrine in Shirdi has been beefed up after the temple authorities received a letter threatening to trigger a blast on November 9 as also the Thackeray residence in Mumbai, police said on Wednesday.

"The anonymous letter, written in Hindi, has also threatened to set off explosions on the same day at a local Shiv Sena office, Shiv Sena Bhawan at Dadar in Mumbai, the residence of Thackerays, Matoshree, the place of cremation of Bal Thackeray on Shivaji Park ground in Mumbai, besides famous Khajrana Ganesh temple in Indore," acting Executive Officer of Shirdi Trust Ajay More said.

The letter further said the blasts will be triggered to avenge the killing of one Khalil and his relative in Indore.

"The Shirdi Trush handed over the letter to us on Tuesday. We have formed two teams to investigate the matter and also increased security at the temple," said Ahmednagar SP Raosaheb Shinde.

Following the letter, the temple trust has imposed a ban on its employees carrying mobile phones in and around the temple, More said.

Meanwhile, security has also been stepped up at Khajrana Ganesh temple in Indore and the entry of devotees in the sanctum sanctorum is banned by the management there.

Senior SP Rakesh Gupta told PTI in Indore that the measures were initiated in the wake of reports in the media that the Shirdi Trust has received the anonymous letter.

KhajranaGaneshTemple administrator Manish Singh said a search was carried out in the temple premises by a sniffer dogs squad but no suspicious object was found.