Anna Hazare''s security up after death threat

Ralegan-Siddhi (Maharashtra), August 11

Police have beefed up security for social activist Anna Hazare here in Maharashtra after a letter threatened him with death, an official said on Tuesday.

Developed as a model village by Hazare, Ralegan-Siddhi is around 235 km from Mumbai and 90 km from Pune. It is located in Ahmednagar district.

"We received a handwritten letter dated August 7 by post threatening that Hazare will be eliminated if he fails to dissociate himself from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal," Hazare's aide Datta Awari told IANS.

After blaming Hazare for the political growth of Kejriwal, the letter asked him to remain in Ralegan-Siddhi, and referred to rational activists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare who were killed recently.

"The time clock is waiting for you," the letter warned. It was signed "N.G.V.M." and purportedly sent from Nimgaonwagha in Ahmednagar district.

The 78-year old Hazare, who is finalising plans to launch an all-India campaign in support of farmers, has not commented on the death threat.

His office has urged police to take stringent action against the person who wrote the letter. —IANS