Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has called for a high-level meeting with the officials after suspicious white powder was found during an ongoing session in the state assembly on Thursday evening.
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The security personnel immediately reached the spot in the Vidhan Sabha and recovered the powder which was later identified as a highly explosive organic compound -- Pentaerythritol tetranitrate ( PETN). Following the major security lapse, Adityanath has called for a high-level meeting at 10:30 am today.
Here are the LIVE updates:
2:55 pm IST: BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari and Independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh also attended the UP assembly today.
Lucknow: BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari and Independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh in UP assembly today pic.twitter.com/fEMBs1O46V
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 14, 2017
12:40 pm IST: Meanwhile, a highly alert UP Police has arrested a student for giving threats over the phone to blow up the UP Assembly on August 15. His mobile phone has been seized.
Deoria (UP): A student arrested by police for giving threats over phone to blow up the UP assembly on August 15, mobile phone seized. pic.twitter.com/mFT2bdtrte
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 14, 2017
12:31 pm IST: Aditynath also rued the absence of a Quick Response Team (QRT) for the state."It's unfortunate that the largest Assembly of the country doesn't have a QRT," said the CM.
12:15 pm IST: "The packet of the explosive was found under the chair of the Opposition's leader. It was 150 gm of PETN. 500 gm of PETN is enough to blow the whole Assembly off. This shows the severity of the situation," says Adityanath.
11:35 am IST: Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad calls the UP government a failure.
Have never seen a govt failing this soon.If explosives can be found under seat of LoP, you can imagine condition of law&order in UP: GN Azad pic.twitter.com/tHUzVA8B0Q
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 14, 2017
11:28 am IST: Assembly speaker says Provincial Armed Constabulary and Quick Response Teams will be deployed at the assembly.
11: 20 am IST: The UP CM says strong security system must be established as this could be a terror conspiracy.
11:18 am IST: "Security guidelines must be issued and everyone must follow them: CM Yogi Adityanath in UP assembly," says Adityanath
11:17 am IST: National Investigation Agency (NIA) must investigate the incident: Yogi Adityanath.
PETN explosive was found,action must be taken against those involved. NIA must investigate this: CM Yogi Adityanath in UP assembly
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 14, 2017
11: 15 am IST: Yogi Adityanath says everyone needs to be cautious related to security matters. Police verification needs to be done for workers in assembly.
10:40 am IST: Reports say the explosive was found under the chair of an Opposition leader from Samajwadi Party MLA Manoj Pandey.
10:25 am IST: Security personnel have reached Uttar Pradesh Assembly, prior to the meeting.
#Lucknow: Security personnel have reached Uttar Pradesh assembly, after suspicious white powder was found yesterday. pic.twitter.com/bCeFIN1mL4
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 14, 2017
10:21 am IST: Security officials reach the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in Lucknow.
Deoria (UP): A student arrested by police for giving threats over phone to blow up the UP assembly on August 15, mobile phone seized. pic.twitter.com/mFT2bdtrte
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 14, 2017