In the aftermath of Indian Army’s surgical strikes in PoK, the Indian Government on Friday issued a country-wide security alert asking the states to heighten vigil in order to check any attempts by Pakistan-based terror groups to carry out attacks in retaliation to the surgical strikes conducted on Thursday.
The home ministry asked to deploy additional security forces at strategic installations, industrial complexes, crowded places, airports, historical monuments and government buildings, particularly in the metro cities. Indian states touching Pakistan- Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat- have been asked to be extra vigilant. Indian metro cities including New Delhi and Mumbai have also been put on high alert. As many as 1,000 villages in Punjab are also being evacuated. Many have been moved to temporary shelters set up by respective state administrations.
According to the sources, there is a strong possibility of Pakistan’s ISI group to direct a highly motivated and heavily armed terror cell to carry out a strike in the capital, to avenge the PoK surgical attack. India carried out surgical strikes on terror launch pads across in PoK on the night of September 28. A hunt has been launched for suspected terrorists.
Even though Pakistan has denied the raids and accused India of unprovoked cross-border firing killing two Pakistani soldiers, the federal cabinet chaired by Nawaz Sharif said his country is prepared to face any external threat.
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On Friday, home minister Rajnath Singh held a security review where he discussed the serious threat of a massive strike by terrorist groups hiding in the country or likely to enter through the land borders or the sea route. Sources said participants in the review meeting – national security advisor AK Doval, home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and chiefs of Intelligence Bureau and RAW, also feared the possibility of terrorists targeting private enterprises to avenge the Indian raids.
The fact that October is packed with festivals, it poses a greater threat to the country and hence security is tightened at crowded places and puja pandals. Security at airports and monuments such as Taj Mahal has also been tightened.
An intelligence officer said the state of high alert across the country may continue through October. According to him, a retaliation by Pakistan to the surgical strikes may happen over the next 10-15 days. Since, Diwali also falls on October 30, the alert is expected to last till then.
