Kolkata terror threat: Jaish-e-Mohammed issues threat to blow up Howrah station, 'kill Mamata Banerjee'

The General Manager of the Easter Railways in Kolkata received a letter reportedly from Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) threatening to blow up the Howrah Station with IED explosives and also kill West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee if their demand of Rs 50 crore was not met with.

The JeM demanded, through the letter, that the General Manager "arrange Rs 50 crore, failing which lakhs of people will be killed in an IED explosion at Howrah Railway station." It also stated that "if his demands are not met, his organisation will kill Mamata Banerjee," according to some media websites.

However, International Business Times India cannot verify the authenticity of the letter that threatens to kill CM Banerjee.

The police believes the threat to be a hoax but has still increased security at all railway stations in the city.

Police sources told the Indian Express that the letter was not an "anonymous" one but was signed in the name of a government official named Subhash Chandra Das. The police believe that it was just an attempt to tarnish Das' image considering the details mentioned by the "sender".

"The letter is self explanatory. The intentions are clear enough and there is nothing to panic", another official told the daily adding that security had been beefed up at important locations. 

"Following this threat we are alert. We have enhanced our security. The seriousness of this letter is to be investigated by police," Howrah DRM Dr Jia Badrinarayan said.

Investigation is underway while a case has also been registered under relevant sections of the IPC.