Gujarat (Islamist/Other Conflicts): Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2015

Security has been increased at Somnath Temple in Gujarat following a terror threat to blow up the temple . According to the security agencies, the letter is written in Gujarati language and has been sent from Vadodara. The sender, claiming to be from 'Indian Mujahideen', has threatened to explode the temple with a bomb. Following the threatening, the security agencies have been put on high alert and an investigation is on to trace the sender of the letter. Indian Coast Guard have also been alerted about the threat to the temple, which is located on the sea shore. Read less...

The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Gujarat arrested Umesh Rathod 25, along with Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) with INR 52,25,000 face-value from Gundlav crossroads on Valsad District. ATS Superintendant of Police (SP) Himanshu Shukla, said while Umesh was arrested from the spot a person named Rakesh alias Kabootar managed to give Police a slip. During primary interrogation of the accused it came to light that Vishal, also a resident of Valsad, had asked Umesh and Rakesh to reach Gundlav crossroads to deliver the notes. Shukla added that the notes appear to be printed locally and were not of good quality. Read less...

Two more letters in the names of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Indian Mujahideen (IM) threatening blasts at the department of physics of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda's Faculty of Science and Gotri-based Shaishav School in Vadodara (Gujarat) were received on Friday (October 16) morning, reports The Times of India. The city Police and bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS) conducted an extensive search operation at both these spots, but found no suspicious objects. The letter received by the department of physics was in Hindi while that addressed to Shaishav School's principal was written in Gujarati. Sayajigunj Police said the letter sent to the University was long and its anonymous writer had stated that there will be blasts in the university and also at the railway station. Read less...

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on October 20 arrested a suspect, identified as Purshottam Kesri, in a fake currency case from Trikampura area of Surat District, reports The Times of India. NIA sources said they had taken over the investigation of a case relating to recovery of fake Indian currency notes (FICN) bearing a face value of INR 10 lac from Murshidabad in West Bengal. "During investigations, the name of Uttam Kumar Sinha came to light after which he was arrested from Dhanbad in Jharkhand on October 18," said an NIA official. NIA sources said during Sinha's primary interrogation, it came to light that his accomplice Purshottam Kesri was hiding in Surat. NIA dispatched a team to Surat and arrested Kesri with the help of Surat Crime Branch from Trikampura in Surat. "Sinha is supposed to be the kingpin of the fake currency racket and his gang was instrumental in dispatching fake currency notes worth more than Rs 4 crore to parts of the country," said an NIA official. According to NIA sources, Kesri is an important associate of Sinha and was a key person in despatching the fake currency notes. NIA officials said the modus operandi of the gang was to dispatch fake currency by couriers disguised as laboures and masons and in turn received payments through cash deposits from states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Read less...