Letter threatens blasts during Bharat Jodo Yatra, attack on Rahul Gandhi

An anonymous letter has threatened that bomb blasts would be carried out in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city if the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi made a scheduled night halt at Khalsa Stadium here on November 28.

The letter, which referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, also threatened assassinations of Rahul Gandhi and MP Congress chief Kamal Nath.

Police immediately launched investigation and detained two persons for questioning, but it was suspected that it was a hoax, a top official said.

Two persons were questioned in connection with the letter, said inspector Yogesh Singh Tomar of Juni police station.

Talking to PTI, Indore Commissioner of Police H C Mishra said the letter was received at a sweets-snacks shop in Juni area on Thursday evening.

"It says that if the participants of the Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra stay at the Khalsa stadium, bomb blasts would be carried out in the city," he said.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on Friday under section 507 (criminal intimidation by unknown person) of the Indian Penal Code.

"We have started an investigation into the threat letter. However, we suspect that this was the work of some mischievous elements," Mishra said.

A copy of the letter -- confirmed by police sources -- went viral on social media. Besides warning of bomb blasts, it said that no political party took up the issue of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and Rahul Gandhi and Nath would be killed.

State Congress secretary Nilabh Shukla demanded that security should be beefed up for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi's cross-country march which is currently passing through Maharashtra and will enter MP on November 23.

Khalsa Stadium in Indore was in news on November 8 after there was a controversy over Nath being felicitated at a function held there on Guru Nanak Jayanti.

Kirtan singer Manpreet Singh Kanpuri had referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, regarding which Nath had faced allegations in the past, and blasted the organizers for felicitating Nath.

Already, the BJP has announced that if Nath enters the stadium during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it will be shown black flags.