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Tamil Nadu
They do keep security agencies on their toes, says R. Rajaram 
FRISKING: Security personnel conducting checks in Tiruchi Junction. At a time when security in railway stations and trains has been accorded utmost importance, any perceived threat sends the security personnel into a tizzy. The receipt of threat letters sent to the station masters of Ariyalur and Srirangam on Tuesday have prompted the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel to conduct a thorough check in these two major stations f alling within the Tiruchi Railway Division. Though no explosive substance was found during the anti-sabotage checks conducted by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, security personnel attached to the GRP, RPF and local police personnel are jointly keeping a vigil in the stations ever since the receipt of the letters. Random anti-sabotage checks were being done by the bomb disposal team during the peak movement of trains. There have been occasions in the past when security personnel carried out similar anti-sabotage checks following anonymous letters sent to the station masters threatening to blow up either stations or trains. Though such threat letters have turned out to be hoaxes on many occasions, they do send the security agencies on their toes prompting them to take necessary precautionary measures to ensure the safety and security of the travellers and the railway premises. RPF and GRP officials say that they do take such threat letters seriously, keeping in mind the safety of the public, and cannot afford to remain careless. Even while security-related measures are initiated, parallel investigations commence to trace the “author” of the threat letter. In the latest episode, the threat letter was at first received by the station master of Chennai Central followed by his counterpart in Ariyalur and Srirangam on the same day. Railway Police officials say that the letters, threatening that the stations will become the victim of terror attack if the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was not lifted, were posted at Teppakulam in the city. An old typewriting machine is said to have been used to type the contents, say officials here. As the contents in all the letters were same, the entire case is being investigated by the Railway Police Inspector of Chennai Central where the first letter was received. Investigation of such threat letter cases is a real challenge for the railway police especially when it comes to tracing its “author.” The challenge is all the more daunting if it is sent in a bogus name and from a fictitious address. Such type of cases normally take much time especially when the clues are hard to come by, say investigators here. The investigation would be carried out from different angles to ascertain various aspects, including the motive. The investigating team would not only have to track the real “author” but also the instrument used to type the content in the letters, say officials. The Railway Police say they had traced and arrested persons who had sent such threat letters in the past, both handwritten and typed, while stating that they were doing their best to crack the present case.
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