A high alert has been sounded in the national Capital by the Delhi Police with security being beefed up at busy public places and markets in the wake of the ghastly terror attack in Punjab.
The Delhi Police and Central security agencies have already strengthened the security apparatus in the city to ensure a trouble free Independence Day celebration at Red Fort.
“We have briefed our officers and men to be vigilant and watchful in the wake of Punjab attack and an alert is being maintained,” PRO of Delhi Police Rajan Bhagat said.
Police have further stepped up the security in and around the railway stations in the city and armed police personnel have been deployed to keep an eye on any suspicious movements. The number of policemen has also been increased at busy public places including crowded markets and shopping malls.
While police were busy augmenting the security across the city including the vital installations, a rumour of firing close to Parliament kept the cops on tenterhooks in the morning. However, it was later found out that the panic was caused by a loud noise from a motorbike at Vijay Chowk. Delhi Police officers said there was no firing near Parliament rather it was just a rumour.
According to sources, it is also assessed that Pakistan-based terrorists can always exploit the presence of yet undetected operatives of various groups like lashkar-e-Taiyyeba (leT), Jaish-e- Mohammad (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Indian Mujahideen (IM) for conducting terrorist attack in the country. “Cadres of these groups are susceptible to the extreme Islamic ideology and therefore could be utilised relatively easily and in a cost effective manner by such Pakistan-based planners,” the alert said.
Intelligence agencies said for the past six months, the Pakistan-based terror groups have been trying to create new sleeper cell in Delhi, Mumbai and other metros.
Sources said, security agencies have advised the Delhi Police to be alert to deal with emergency terrorists groups owing allegiance to Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan, who are desperate to attack specific targets in the National capital to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations. Special attention is being accorded to check the entry of vehicles during nights. Police teams are scouring trucks entering Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar and all the vegetable whole sale markets as there are intelligence intercepts to suggest that explosives could be smuggled into the city.
It would be pertinent to mention that Delhi had witnessed its worst ever terrorist attacks on October 29, 2005, when serial blasts at three different places Paharganj Market, Sarojini Nagar and a DTC bus plying in Kalkaji had taken 70 lives. Several people were injured. Since the stakes are very high in the run up to Diwali, police personnel have been asked to patrol their respective areas and check any new entrant, police officers said. Security agencies and Delhi Police top brass are reviewing emerging situations to keep the subversives at bay, a senior officer added.