Wednesday, March 30 2005 22:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Assuring all steps to ensure a safe journey for passengers in the inaugural bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad on April 7, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today (Mar 30, 2005) said the Centre was gathering information about threats to people travelling in the bus.

"We are in the process of gathering full information and we will take all steps necessary," to ensure safety of passengers travelling in the bus, Patil told reporters in New Delhi.

The comments from the Home Minister were sought by reporters after a militant outfit, Kashmir Mass Movement, a shadow outfit of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e-Taiba, issued a threat in a local Urdu daily in Srinagar asking people to remain away from the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, which will be flagged off by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from Srinagar.

Some other militant organisations including the Jaish-e-Mohammed have also threatened that they would carry out attacks on the bus if it entered Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

"Whatever we are doing is in the interest of peace. We will have to be very vigilant and we will not let our guard down," Patil said.