Mumbai: Security was beefed up inside and around the Arthur Road jail in south-central Mumbai on Tuesday following a threat perception to the life of captured terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab, police sources said.
The move came after central intelligence agencies indicated a threat to Kasab's life from some mafia dons based in Pakistan, the well-placed police sources said.
The central agencies had recently intercepted a message which alerted them to the possibility of an attempt on Kasab, they said.
A senior crime branch official confirmed that police had been getting "intelligence inputs suggesting a threat to Kasab's life since the day he was arrested" but declined to elaborate on the issue.
He assured that despite the threats, Kasab is "safe and secure".
The sources said that Chhota Shakeel, an associate of mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, said to be hiding in Pakistan, had taken a contract to eliminate Kasab.
Altough it is not clear which forces or groups want Kasab eliminated, the role of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is not ruled out, the sources said.
Chhota Shakeel is reportedly organising a dozen-strong team of crack shooters to undertake a 'suicide mission' and attempt to kill Kasab.
In addition, police have learnt that different cases have been filed or are in the process of being lodged against Kasab in at least 11 countries; some of them plan to seek his extradition from India.
Among the countries are those whose nationals were among the 26 foreigners killed in the Nov 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. These countries may want Kasab to face trial.
Kasab was the only terrorist captured alive while his nine associates were killed in the 60-hour anti-terrorist operation by combined security forces.
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