After IS threat, Pune anti-terror unit tightens security

Security was tightened in and around Anti-Terrorist Squad headquarters here after ATS Pune and Mumbai offices received threats allegedly by the terror group Islamic State (IS), an official said on Wednesday.

The letter threatened that Assistant Commissioner of Police (ATS-Pune) Bhanupratap Barge and his family would be eliminated, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Shrikant Phatak here.

"The (two) threat letters were sent to the Mumbai Police Commissonerate and an English newspaper office by post 12 days ago from Mulund and Dharavi. We received these four days ago after which we launched a probe," Phatak told the media here.

Mumbai police said the letter envelopes bore the postal marks of Mulund and Dharavi, but were unsure whether the contents of the letters or sender details were similar.

Barge was in the limelight in early December after he prevented radicalisation of a Pune college girl.

The 16-year-old Class XI (first-year junior college) student was allegedly fascinated by the IS ideology and got in touch with about 200 people around the world through the internet.