Gujarat, Delhi put on terror alert

Inputs said 10 Pak terrorists have entered India through Gujarat and may have sneaked into the tiol capital for an attack

Ahmedabad, March 6: NSG teams were put on standby and Mahashivratri festivities at the historic Somth temple were suspended in Gujarat after the Centre on Sunday sounded a high alert amid reports that 10 fidayeen militants have entered the coastal state.

"The Gujarat Police are on alert. The state government had asked the Centre to send tiol Security Guards (NSG) teams, which have also arrived," State Home Minister Rajanikant Patel told reporters here.

Two NSG teams, which landed in the State on Sunday morning, were put on standby.

He said, "We have issued a high alert and beefed up security at all key installations."

The government was galvanised into action to step up security across Gujarat, especially the coastal borders with Pakistan, after a note sent by tiol Security Adviser Ajit Doval about suspected infiltration of 10 militants of the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Doval's note came after Pakistan's tiol Security Adviser sir Janjua called him up and said 10 terrorists from the two Pakistan-based outfits have entered Gujarat, according to official sources.

Authorities at the Somth Temple in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra, which is the first among the 12 'jyotirlingas' of Lord Shiva in the country, said all cultural programmes slated for Sunday and Monday, the Mahashivratri day, have been cancelled.

Somth Temple Trust's general mager Vijay Chavda said a 'nrityotsava' (dance festival), scheduled for Sunday evening and 'Ras-Garba' and 'Dayra' programmes scheduled for Monday were cancelled.

The Mahashivratri at the Somth Temple every year sees a massive gathering of devotees from across the country and the world.

Chavda said elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure uninterrupted 'darshan' by the pilgrims on Mahashivratri.

Besides, Dwarka and Akshardham temples in Gandhigar, which had come under terrorist attack on September 24, 2002, power plants, dams, defence and security establishments have been put on alert.

Officials said police stations in the state have been asked to carry out combing operations in hotels and guest houses. Forces have been moved around shopping and cinema halls and bus stands. Security personnel on leave have been asked to report for duty.

Besides Kutch district, which shares land and maritime borders with Pakistan, heavy patrolling and checking has begun along Gujarat's border with Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Central agencies are investigating the discovery of five abandoned fishing boats near Sir Creek on the Kutch coast over the last three months, including one found by a Border Security Force patrol on Friday.

The boat found on Friday is 20 feet long and 10 feet wide. Some rations, water jugs, fishing nets, crabs, diesel and mattresses were found on board.

Meanwhile, Gujarat's Additiol Chief Secretary (Home) P.K. Taneja held a meeting with top officials of the armed forces, police, Intelligence Bureau and paramilitary forces.

Following intelligence agencies' inputs about infiltration of 10 suspected terrorists into Gujarat, Delhi was also put on high alert on Sunday as a precautiory measure, police officials said.

"Delhi has always been on high alert. But the recent intelligence alert about the entry of some suspected terrorists in Gujarat is really a serious issue following which a prompt message was circulated to step up security," said a police officer on condition of anonymity.

The officer said that all the station house officers (SHOs) of over 180 police stations in Delhi have been asked to enhance security at busy markets, vulnerable places and vital installations falling in their jurisdiction.

Security has also been tightened at railway stations, Inter State Bus Depots (ISBTs), borders and airport, the officer added.

Delhi along with all metro cities was reportedly put on high alert just hours after intelligence inputs about the infiltration of 10 suspected terrorists into Gujarat to carry out attacks against high-value targets.