Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-

(a)what is status of investigation of the terrorist attack on the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore;

(b)whether Government expect the identification and apprehension of the terrorists and their local support structure; and

(c) what measures have been or are being taken to ensure better preparation in future since Bangalore is reportedly one of the targets for terrorists seeking to target our country`s economic centres?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

(SHRI SRIPRAKASH JAISWAL)

(a) & (b): During the course of investigation of this case, one Lashkar-e-Toiba activist abdul Rehman s/o Shashuddin r/o of Nalgonda District, Andhra Pradesh was arrested. His interrogation revealed a conspiracy of LeT to cause sabotage and terrorist activities in Karnataka. In this connection, another case has been registered in which seven persons have been arrested. While six of them are from Karnataka, the seventh person in the same Abdul Rehman of Nalgonda district in Andhra Pradesh.

(c):To contain terrorist activities, the Govt. has been persuing a multi-pronged strategy in collaboration with Central and State agencies. The State Governments/U.T.s are sensitized from time to time about the plans and designs of terrorists and are asked to streamline physical and protective security of vital installations, institutions, VIPs, religious places and other places of public and national importance including economic infrastructure.

The State Governments have also been asked to strengthen Special Branches to enable collection of actionable intelligence to pre-empt terrorist activities.