India On High Alert Owing To Terror Threat On ‘Mahashivratri’ | News World India

Security was tightened at major temples in the city on Monday in view of Mahashivratri festival, amid a terror alert in the national capital and other major metros.

A meeting of the top brass of Delhi Police was held following which all Deputy Commissioners were instructed to heighten vigil in their districts, a day after the force received intelligence input about a potential terror strike by 10 suspected militants of LeT and JeM outfits who are believed to have entered Indian territory through Gujarat.

Police presence and patrolling around temples which were teeming with devotees, popular markets, iconic buildings and other places like metro stations, railway stations and bus
terminus, which witness very high footfall, has been stepped up, a senior official said.

In view of the intelligence input, Delhi Police had yesterday heightened its vigil near iconic buildings and military installations in the national capital and security arrangements were strengthened near prominent malls, hospitals, schools and colleges in the city, a police source said.

He said the input specifically mentions about 10 militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfits who have entered into Indian territory via Gujarat and
that they can carry out a terrorist strike in Delhi.

The Special Cell and Crime Branch of Delhi Police have been briefed about the input separately to ensure that activities of gangs operating in and around the city and
elements with suspected terror links are monitored.

The police are also ensuring that CCTV cameras at all places with high footfall, like popular markets in the city and metro stations, are functional, the source added.

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The alert was first sounded in Gujarat on Saturday, following which four NSG teams were rushed there.

Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh was put on high alert on the occasion of Shivratri, following inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on the possibility of terror attacks at temples and religious places, an official said on Monday.

Heavy security was put into force at important Shiv temples and special security checks were in place at the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.

Special vigil was being maintained on big and small temples in places like Kanpur, Agra, Lucknow, Faizabad, Gorakhpur, Azamgarh and other important places, the official said.

Police was also keeping a close eye on the ‘kanwarias’ (devotees who carry holy Ganges water and walk bare foot to offer it to Shivlinga’s) as there was an apprehension that they may be targeted by terror outfits.