People's Democracy

THE Bengal Left Front government has initiated all possible security measures to pre-empt a possible terrorist strike on the Writers’ Buildings in the heart of the city of Kolkata. An intelligence agency had alerted the Left Front government about a possible terrorist strike on the Writers’ Buildings between June 10 and 15.

In a recent message to the state government, an intelligence agency of the union government stated that mercenary terrorists in the pay of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan were also likely to organise a stealthy entry into the Writers’ Buildings and set up explosives there.

According to state government officials, the large number of points of entry into the Writers’ Buildings and around are being closely guarded. Metal detectors have been set up. However, the state government is not yet ready to impose traffic restrictions around the Benoy-Badal-Dinesh Bag area where the building is situated.

The Writers’ Buildings, the seat of governance in Bengal since the days of the British rule, have offices accommodating 38 ministers and more than 7,000 officials. The sprawling building has several courtyards around the different "blocks," and houses dozens of corridors in each "block" as well as numerous staircases and elevators.

State CPI(M) secretary Anil Biswas said chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya has kept the party informed of the developments and that adequate preparations were put in place to foil any attack on the Writers’ Buildings. Biswas asked the Kolkata citizens not to panic.