Security stepped up in state after terror alert

Security was beefed up in Kolkata on Saturday following intelligence inputs that seven terrorists had sneaked into West Bengal from the Bangla border and could use motorbikes to carry out blasts. Sources said the Intelligence Bureau had alerted the Union Home Ministry which in turn passed the information to the state.

The intelligence pointed out that the group of seven terrorists was recently in West Bengal to target one of the high-profile politicians there during campaigning or at a public meeting.

Following the specific input,senior police officers held a meeting after which the police began random checking of motorbikes in the city. Metal detectors and sniffer dogs were also pressed into service.

The alert comes just ten days before the first phase of elections in the state on April 30. Several top leaders like Sonia and Rahul Gandhi,Narendra Modi and LK Advani are likely to come for campaigning in North Bengal. Sonia is also scheduled to have a road- show with Mamata Banerjee from Tala to Garia in Kolkata.