Threat at Nagpur RSS HQ, letter claims planting of radioactive substance
Nagpur: A high-security alert has been sounded in Nagpur, Maharashtra, after an anonymous letter was sent to the Police Commissioner claiming that radioactive material has been dispersed at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Mahal and the Dr Hedgewar Smriti Mandir in Reshimbagh.
The letter, purportedly sent by an organisation calling itself ‘DSS’, has triggered a massive investigation involving the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the NDRF.
The anonymous letter, written in English, reached the office of Police Commissioner Dr Ravindrakumar Singal via post on April 27. It contained highly objectionable language against the RSS and issued a chilling warning: Caesium-137, a highly dangerous radioactive powder, has allegedly been planted at several key locations, said police sources.
Police sources explained that Caesium-137 (137Cs) is a radioactive isotope of the metal caesium. It does not occur naturally; it is a byproduct of the nuclear fission of uranium in nuclear reactors and weapons. It has a half-life of 30.05 years, meaning its radioactivity takes three decades to reduce by half. It emits beta particles and powerful gamma rays.
According to police sources, the letter claims the radioactive substance was placed at the RSS Headquarters (Mahal), Reshimbagh Smriti Mandir, the BJP Office in Ganeshpeth, the seats of Metro trains on both the Orange and Aqua lines and ‘Aapli Bus’ city buses operating on routes near the RSS and BJP offices. The perpetrators claimed they obtained the radioactive material from a cancer hospital. The letter further challenged authorities, stating, “The entire city of Nagpur is now under radiation threat. You will realise the truth of this once experts from the Tarapur Atomic Power Station conduct an inspection.”
The letter also referenced a recent incident where detonators and gelatin sticks were found in an open plot behind the Dosar Bhavan Metro Station. Police sources said that the ‘DSS’ claimed responsibility for those explosives, stating, “That was just a warning; the real game has started now.”
Upon receiving the letter, the ATS, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and atomic energy experts, conducted a thorough sweep of the RSS headquarters, Metro stations, and other mentioned sites. Initial searches by experts have not yet found any traces of radioactive material, suggesting the threat might be a hoax or “mischief”.
A case has been registered at the Sadar Police Station based on a complaint filed by the ATS. The RSS headquarters remains under a 24-hour multi-layer security cover provided by 150 CISF personnel and the Nagpur Police, stated the police sources.
While authorities suspect this may be a malicious hoax intended to cause panic, they are not taking any chances. Security around Metro infrastructure and the RSS premises has been intensified as the search for the sender of the letter continues. Further, authorities remain on high alert as they trace the origin of the letter and the “DSS” organisation.