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Chennai: Tamil Nadu police on Sunday claimed to have foiled plots to plant bombs across the state, specifically in Chennai and Tirunelveli, before August 15, and arrested one person in connection with the alleged conspiracy.

Police said one Ali Abdullah -- a convict lodged in the Puzhal prison near here in connection with eight different cases of murder and blasts -- had masterminded the plots in the jail.

Police arrested one Abdul Gaffur, who is employed in Chennai, and recovered from him materials used for making an IED.

He was picked up from a relative's house at Pettai in Tirunelveli following specific information.

A report from Madurai said the famous Sri Meenakshi Amman temple in the city has been provided with three-tier security following a warning from the Central intelligence agencies that it could be a target of terrorists.

According to police sources, terrorists - after the blasts in Bangalore and Ahemdabad - planned to attack cities in Tamil Nadu and Madurai Sri Meenakshi temple was believed to be on the top of their list.

The Union Home Ministry and the Intelligence Bureau had also asked the Tamil Nadu police to beef up the security at Sri Meenakshi temple, they said.

Police also suspected that two of the terrorists who escaped from Manali near Chennai, Daubid and Abudhagir, could target places of worship. The sources said the Lashkar-e-Toiba had also planned to attack places of worship in Tamil Nadu.

A 60-member police team had been formed for security duty inside Meenakshi temple and they would monitor the temple complex round the clock, police sources said.

Another 50 police personnel were put on security duty near Adi Street nearby. Only small bags with pooja items would be allowed inside the temple and vehicles would not be allowed in Chitrai street.

All the vehicles would be checked at the ten newly formed check-posts, police sources added.

The sources said that security for the famous Sri Palani Dhanyuthapaniswamy temple, Rameswaram Sri Ramanathaswamy temple and Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple had also been beefed up.

Additional policemen had been deployed at all the entry points of the temples.

More on: ahmedabad blasts, terror attack, tamil nadu