Karnataka to review security for Sai

Baba

 

By Imran Qureshi, Indo-Asian News Service

From Yahoo! India News:

http://in.news.yahoo.com/010805/43/12ftr.html

Sunday August 5, 2001 7:37 PM

Bangalore, Aug 5 (IANS) The Karnataka police is reviewing the security arrangements for Satya Sai Baba, the self-proclaimed "godman" with disciples worldwide, following fresh threats from Tamil guerrillas.

The move follows information supplied by the Andhra Pradesh police to its Karnataka counterparts, said a senior police official, who did not want to be identified.

Sai Baba visits his Brindavan Ashram in Whitefield, on the outskirts of Bangalore, to give discourses and meet with disciples who cannot make it to his Puttaparthi base in Andhra Pradesh. He also makes personal visits to the city.

"We have no more information than what we have received from the Andhra Pradesh police. The Bangalore district police has been advised to review the current security arrangements and enhance it after discussions with the ashram authorities," the police official told IANS.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerillas are fighting a bloody war with Sri Lankan troops for a separate homeland for ethnic Tamils in the eastern parts of the island country.

Satya Sai Baba has scores of Sri Lankan ministers and top officials as disciples frequently visit to his Whitefield and Puttaparthi centers. Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga had also called on Sai Baba during her official visit to India sometime ago.

Police officials, however, declined to say what had prompted the fresh threat perception to Sai Baba, who is already protected by a well-coordinated security ring around him at both Whitefield and Puttaparthi.

The high security cover was thrown around Sai Baba after an attempt was made on his life in the early 90s.

The "godman" has always preached peace and non-violence in his discourses.

The Tamil Nadu police has also been reportedly asked to review the security at Sai Baba's ashram at Ooty.