Jamshedpur, April 1: Alarmed over reports that extremists might target the Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL) in Jadugora, officials have decided to beef up security at the public sector undertaking.

UCIL sources told The Telegraph that the Union home ministry had recently alerted the company management about the threat from Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) activists. The ministry had said that the MCC could target the uranium mines located at Narwah, Bhatin and Turamdih.

The UCIL management has sought additional companies of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) from the home ministry, which is at present safeguarding the public sector giant. “We have sent requisition for two additional companies of the CISF,” sources said. At present, there are four companies of the CISF posted in UCIL’s Narwah, Jadugora and Turamdih mines, which was re-opened recently.

Sources said: “We had become cautious after the MCC ambushed policemen in the Saranda forests.”

Officials, who requested not to be quoted, said the UCIL management was worried over the activities of the MCC in the neighbouring West Singhbhum.

“Intelligence reports suggest that infiltration of MCC activists in Jadugora has increased. They might target the mines if there is a security lapse. UCIL is an important government installation and we will leave no stone unturned to provide adequate security to it,” said an official of the company.

“We have requested the Union home ministry to deploy more CISF personnel. We cannot take any chances as the MCC has increased its activities in the area. Four companies of the CISF would not be adequate,” the official added.

With the UCIL management working on uranium exploration sites, the security aspect has become important.

“We have found uranium exploration sites at Bandurang (two kms away from Turamdih). We are planning to explore the site soon for which security arrangements are required to be beefed up,” the senior official added.

Since uranium is a radio-active product, the strike could seriously affect the population residing near the mines.