Summary Security was increased at vital installations, crowded places, temples and airports
Dunya News Report (Jibran Dost)
In the process to improve the level of cooperation with India, Pakistan’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Nasir Khan Janjua informed his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval that 10 terrorists have entered Gujarat state.
In response, India has placed Gujarat on high alert after receiving the information. As much as four National Security Guard (NSG) teams comprising of 25 men and India’s Elite Special Forces were deployed across the state. Security was increased at vital installations, important buildings, crowded places, temples, airports and railway stations.
At the same time, Indian authorities believe that the information shared by Pakistan has raised the level of cooperation between the two countries.
Pakistan’s NSA informed that these are fidayeen from the Lashkar-e-Taliban and Jaish-e-Mohammad groups. According to IB officials, nearly 8-10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists had infiltrated into the state from the Kutch area.
“The state government received serious information from central government yesterday (Saturday) that terrorists have entered Gujarat. Till now, we have not found any suspicious person. However whatever information is received by us is serious and we are taking all necessary steps about it,” Gujarat Minister of State for Home Rajni Patel said.
“There are continuous combing operations and several check posts have been set up. We are searching for suspects involved in different activities,” Gujarat Director General of Police PC Thakur expressed while talking to the media.
State Home Minister Rajni Patel said that they have found vacant fishing boats near the cost over the past few days, lifting doubts that the militants might have entered Gujarat by sea. He further added that security patrols have been increased along Gujarat’s coastline.
Special security arrangements have been put in place at Somnath temple where thousands of devotees are expected on the occasion of Shivratri. Knowing of the threat, DG Police PC Thakur has cancelled the leaves of all police officials and ordered them to resume duty immediately.
Earlier in January, four gunmen broke into Pathankot Airbase in India’s Punjab Province and engaged Indian forces in a heavy gunfire battle. The operation lasted four days killing all four attackers and seven Indian military personnel. The incident came roughly a week after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise visit to Pakistan and jeopardized the hardly restored dialogue process between two nuclear armed nations.
India had identified Jaish-e-Mohammad’s (JeM) Chief Masood Azhar as the mastermind behind the attack, his brother Rauf and five others for carrying out the attacks.
The responsibility of the attacks was initially claimed by United Jihad Council (UJC), a militant group based in Indian Kashmir. However, according to Indian media reports, the items recovered from the attackers such as JeM pamphlets were sufficient to link them to JeM and Pakistan.
