Mock drill or terror threat?

Traders at Bombay Stock Exchange were in for a surprise when they reach the building this morning. The road leading to the building was blocked and armed men from the Quick Response Team had taken position.

There was heavy security in and around the stock exchange. Even buses passing through Dalal Street were stopped and every passenger on board was thoroughly checked. Cars were also not permitted to enter the bylanes leading to the bull market.

Even with so much security, the police called it a mock drill.

"It was a normal training exercise conducted by us and that there was no such threat alerts," said Vishwas Nangre Patil, DCP (Zone I).

Rumour mills were working overtime with word around that BSE had received a threat email and hence the police tightened security in and around the area.

The BSE, supposedly, had received a threat email that a suicide bomber was likely to destroy the building between 12.10 and 12.20 pm. A senior official from BSE, did not deny this, but said, "It is a sensitive issue and I cannot comment."

All these security measures, however, did not hamper the market performance. The Sensex not only closed 732 points up, but also crossed the 12,000 mark.