Terrorists planning attack on Buddha Purnima in West Bengal, Bangladesh: Intel inputs

West Bengal is on high alert after an Intel agency has warned of the possibility of terror attacks on the occasion of Buddha Purnima on Sunday, May 12. The warnings came ahead of the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha 2019 elections which is on Sunday. The alerts issued by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) states that a possible fidayeen attack might be carried out by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) or Islamic State (ISIS).

Along with the warning, IB mentioned that the attacks might be carried out in Hindu or Buddhist temples by fidayeen, who could be impersonating as a pregnant lady in undivided Bengal - which includes India's eastern state of West Bengal and Bangladesh.

The Government of West Bengal received an alert on Friday afternoon from the Central Government. According to sources in the intel agency, the attack might take place in West Bengal or Bangladesh, reports Zee News.

In the aftermath of the Sri Lanka attacks, Bengal should take precautionary measures to avoid the sort of unpleasant events that have unfolded in the neighbourhood.

The West Bengal Police has reportedly beefed up security across the Hindu and Buddhist temples in and other parts of the state after receiving inputs from the Intel agency.

On April 27, a Bengali poster was released by a pro-Islamic State Telegram channel which had these two words - "SHIGHROI ASCHHE [coming soon]". International Business Times had reported the story on the given date. The poster was reportedly hugely circulated and also had the logo of a group named Al-Mursalat.

Earlier, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) came under scanner for possibly carrying out Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka. The NTJ had close links with the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India unit. Sri Lankan state minister of defence Ruwan Wijewardene had earlier said the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India (JMI), a unit of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh or JMB, may have had a role in Sunday's bombings.

However, there is very little information on JMI's activities in India. But, there have been several reports that indicate its presence in India. In February, two members of the JMB were arrested from West Bengal's Murshidabad district.