A nationwide alert for possible strikes at religious places by terrorists suspected to have sneaked in from Pakistan have been placed. Amidst this alert thousands of people offered prayers in Shiva temples on Monday.
Temples, key buildings, shopping malls, popular markets and military installations all are under the security radar of the Delhi Police and other security agencies amidst an intelligence input that terrorists could carry out a strike in the city and NCR region on Monday, on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.
The heightened security measures came after Pakistani national security adviser Naseer Khan Janjua reportedly informed his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval about 10 militants sneaking into Gujarat.
As per the Intelligence Bureau alert, 10 terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) or Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror groups are believed to have sneaked into the Indian territory through the Gujarat border.
“Like all intelligence inputs, this input is being dealt with requisite seriousness,” said a senior home ministry official who is monitoring the situation. Union home minister Rajnath Singh is in constant touch with top security officials, sources said. Security sources said that dangers posed by a group of 10 attackers, who can divide themselves into at least five teams, cannot be brushed aside.
The Pakistani NSA’s tip-off is being cited as an unprecedented action by Islamabad at a time when New Delhi has linked any progress in peace talks with its neighbour with action against anti-India militant groups said to be behind the January attack on an Indian air base in Punjab’s Pathankot district.
Security around major religious sites in Gujarat like Somnath Temple and Akshardham and in metro cities -- Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru - has also been increased. Vigil is also being maintained at temples in places like Kanpur, Agra, Lucknow, Faizabad, Gorakhpur and Azamgarh, the official said. Union home minister Rajnath Singh will chair a high level meet on internal security on Monday, which will be attended by IB and R&AW officials.
By Premji
