Bangalore, December 30
One terrorist strike and a fresh threat of two more targeting the Chief Minister’s residence and a five star hotel’s New Year’s Eve celebration, besides several hoax bomb calls, have driven people to the edge in India’s IT capital.

With the city yet to recover from the shock of the attack at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on Wednesday, a letter faxed to various newspaper officers has further heightened apprehensions of another terrorist strike in the city.

The letter, written by Moinuddin and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, warns of an attack at the Chief Minister’s residence as well as Grand Ashok hotel.

Claiming that six “Al-Jehadis” were still in the city, the letter talks of three bombs exploding in the hotel at 10.30 pm followed by two suicide bombers — Sarla and Hanif — targeting the nearby residence of Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh.

While Bangalore Police Commissioner Ajai Kumar Singh has claimed that terrorist outfits are not in the habit of faxing their plans two days in advance, the city police is not taking any chances.

The Chief Minister’s residence — Krishna — has been further fortified with the addition of a bomb disposal squad, sniffer dogs and a strong security detail there. Security at the hotel has also been beefed up.

Grand Ashok hotel’s vice-president Jagmohan Mishra said internal security of the hotel had also been strengthened.

He said the hotel was, however, continuing with its New Year’s programme, which includes a live performance by Shibani Kashyap.

Meanwhile, the Police Commissioner today released a sketch of the assailant who fired at scientists in the IISc two days ago.

The sketch is of a well built 30 year-old-man with sharp features and has been prepared after getting eyewitness accounts.

The police has also reverted back on its earliest theory of there being only one assailant.

This, Ajai Kumar Singh said, was because all cartridges that had been seized from the scene had been fired from one weapon only.

The means of transport of the assailant was still a mystery though the use of a white Ambassador car was being ruled out.

The Bangalore Police has claimed that it is confident of some measure of success.

The Police Commissioner said a special team, headed by a DIG, had already been formed to investigate the case.

He said the city police was also in close touch with its counterparts in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Rajasthan.

New Year’s Eve may be a lukewarm affair in the city with citizens already unnerved by a host of hoax calls.

Bomb squads moved from one place to another all day today investigating bomb scares in Forum and Garuda Malls, Krishna Reddy and Oxford colleges and Embassy hotel.