Amidst continuing tension with Pakistan over surgical strikes, Centre tells states to remain alert during festivals

New Delhi: Amidst the continuing tension with Pakistan, the Centre has asked all states to be extra vigilant against attempts by terrorists and subversive elements to disrupt peace and ignite communal tension during the festival season.

Acting on intelligence inputs, the Home Ministry has issued a country-wide advisory asking all states to deploy additional forces in crowded places like markets, railway stations, bus terminuses and religious sites to foil attempts by terrorists to carry out attacks.

The advisory was issued after intelligence inputs suggested that Pakistan-based terrorist groups may try to disrupt peace in vulnerable areas in the wake of surgical strikes by Indian army against terror launch pads across LoC.

The Home Ministry particularly told the police of major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad to be extra vigilant during the Dussehra, Durga Puja and Moharram festivities.

The states were also asked to be alert during the festivals as provocative sloganeering, especially near mosques and dargahs, besides places where idols have been installed. The Centre said observance of festivals at disputed places, processions through non-traditional routes and forcible collection of donations, besides eveteasing often trigger communal tensions.

Besides, crowded pandals and immersion processions also remain soft targets for saboteurs. Special watch on pandals, procession routes and venues of immersion would be desirable to prevent communal incidents and other law and order problems, the advisory said.

In the recent past, there have been incidents of campaigns by right wing Hindu activists against cow slaughter leading to communal tension. Sacrifice of cattle in public and non-traditional places has also triggered communal incidents.