After Gujarat, now Delhi put on high alert; 10 Pak militants may have 'infiltrated' national capital

Security officials have passed information to Delhi Police that 10 suspected militants from Gujarat have now entered the national capital.

New Delhi: After Gujarat, now a high alert has been sounded in the national capital following a warning issued by the intelligence agencies that suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jash-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants could have sneaked into Delhi.

According to media reports, security officials have passed information to Delhi Police that 10 suspected militants from Pakistan, who may have entered India via Gujarat, likely have now entered the national capital.

The intelligence agencies further issued a warning saying the suspects may carry out strikes in markets and malls here.

The police have been told to enhance security arrangements in crowded areas and security installations, as per media reports.

Two teams of the National Security Guards (NSG) landed in Gujarat, earlier in the day, following a high alert sounded by the central government amid reports that terrorists have entered the coastal state.

"The Gujarat Police are on alert. The state government had asked the Centre to send NSG teams, which have also arrived," the state`s Home Minister Rajanikant Patel told reporters here, as per IANS.

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

The state government was galvanized into action, stepping up security across Gujarat, especially the coastal borders with Pakistan, after a note sent by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval about the suspected infiltration of fidayeens (suicide attackers).

Ajit Doval`s note came after Pakistan`s National Security Adviser Nasir Janjua called him up and confided in him that 10 terrorists from the two Pakistan-based outfits have entered Gujarat, according to official sources.

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.

Important monuments, pilgrimage centres like the ancient Somnath and Dwarka temples, and Akashardham temple in Gandhinagar which had come under terrorist attack on September 24, 2002, as well as power plants, dams, defence and security establishments have been put on alert.

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 (BSF) patrol on Friday.

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

Notably, a top Army commander had said yesterday that there were "disturbing inputs" about a possible terror attack in the country aimed at creating "maximum impact" during the Shivratri festival and the ongoing Parliament session.

"There are security-related problems today. You know, Maha Shivratri is coming. There are inputs which are disturbing but notwithstanding that extra care has been taken," Western Army Commander Lt Gen KJ Singh had said, without giving any further details.

(With Agency inputs)