Bengal: Security tightened at 'jhalmuri' stall, which PM visited, after owner gets death threats

Security has been stepped up at the 'jhalmuri' stall, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited during his campaign for the West Bengal election last month, after its owner allegedly received death threats, police said on Saturday.

Bikram Kumar Sau, who runs the jhalmuri stall near Raj College More in Jhargram town, hogged the limelight after the PM stopped at his shop and ate the popular snack while returning from a public rally on April 19.

Sau lodged a written complaint at the Jhargram police station, alleging that he had been receiving threatening phone calls and messages from people claiming to be from Pakistan and Bangladesh since May 17.

The callers allegedly threatened to kill him and blow up his stall with bombs, according to the complaint.

Sau also claimed that in a WhatsApp video call, some persons brandished firearms and issued threats.

''I was terrified after receiving repeated threats. My family members were also scared, and I had shut the shop for a few days,'' Sau told reporters on Saturday after reopening the stall.

Police said an investigation has been initiated, with cybercrime experts assisting in tracing the origin of the calls and messages.

''A complaint has been registered, and all aspects are being examined. We are verifying the source of the calls and messages,'' a senior police officer said.

In view of the threats, authorities have deployed four CAPF personnel outside Sau's stall and installed CCTV cameras in the area.

''The safety of the businessman and his family has been ensured. Necessary preventive measures have been taken to avoid any untoward incident,'' the officer said.

After Modi's visit, the small roadside stall became a point of public attention in the town, and jhalmuri's popularity increased manifold across the nation.

The BJP swept the Junglemahal region, where Jhargram is located, in the recently-concluded elections and formed the government in the state after defeating the TMC.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)