Nagpur, Dec 19 (IANS): "Once inked", twice shy. Days after a Maharashtra minister became the target of an ink attack, the state legislature here has implemented extra security precautions.

In what officials and mediapersons described as "unprecedented", the legislature security checked the pens of all those entering the premises and the old liquid fountain-pens were barred.

However, the MLAs and MLCs - entering the Legislature for the Winter Session - were spared the ink-pens they were carrying on their person, at least 3 MLAs told IANS.

All others going there were subjected to the check and barred from entry with the fountain pens.

The development came over a week after Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Higher & Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil was targeted in an ink attack for his recent utterances "vilifying" historical personalities.

The incident led to suspension of several police personnel and even a local journalist was nabbed for his coverage, but later released.

Patil claimed that the ink attack could have caused cancer if it had gone into his eyes while the Opposition dismissively said that the minister had "lost mental balance" and pointed out that nobody has died due to such ink thrown on them.

Apparently flustered by the December 10 incident, last weekend Patil was seen at another function wearing a face-helmet and heightened security cover after getting fresh threats of an ink attack.