Delhi on alert over fresh LeT threat
Delhi has been placed on high alert following intelligence inputs warning of a possible terror strike by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), with religious sites and crowded heritage zones in the national capital under heightened security watch.
Sources said specific inputs indicate that a temple in the Chandni Chowk area could be among the potential targets. The alerts warn of a possible improvised explosive device (IED) attack in and around sensitive locations, including areas near the Red Fort.
According to senior Delhi Police officers, the first set of intelligence inputs regarding a possible LeT attack in Delhi was received before the Republic Day celebrations. The warnings specifically mentioned religious places as potential targets. Following this, a high alert was sounded across the city, and security was increased at religious establishments. A meeting of Special Cell officers was held soon after the initial alerts were received to plan the security response and anti-terror measures. Deployment was strengthened in vulnerable areas, and monitoring intensified. Fresh inputs were received after a February 6 suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, which killed at least 31 people and injured dozens.
Intelligence reports suggested that terrorists could target a temple in Chandni Chowk and carry out a blast near the Red Fort. The inputs warned of a major attack plan involving IEDs and said prominent temples in the country could be on the radar.
Officials said Pakistan had implied that an external hand was behind the Islamabad mosque blast. India rejected those allegations earlier this month, calling them baseless and asserting that Pakistan should address its internal issues instead of blaming others.
The recent inputs hinted at possible attacks on temples around Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. With Mahashivratri approaching, the Special Cell held a second meeting and decided to intensify security at religious structures across Delhi, especially Lord Shiva temples and venues hosting related events.
On February 15, a DCP-ranked senior Delhi Police officer, along with trained commandos and Special Cell officials, was deployed in and around the Gauri Shankar temple in Chandni Chowk as part of the tightened security grid.
Although officials later assessed both sets of inputs as inconsequential, heightened security arrangements continue due to the ongoing AI Summit in the Capital. The event has brought world leaders and CEOs to Delhi, further tightening the security environment.
Police said surveillance has been intensified through CCTV monitoring and vehicle checks. Additional personnel have been deployed at sensitive religious sites and crowded public areas. Bomb disposal squads, dog squads and quick reaction teams have been placed on standby at strategic points. Central agencies and Delhi Police units are maintaining close coordination while verifying and assessing the threat inputs.
The current alert follows intelligence warnings issued in January that Khalistani terrorist organisations and Bangladesh-based terror outfits could attempt attacks in Delhi and other cities ahead of Republic Day. Agencies had flagged increased activity of Punjab-based gangsters allegedly acting as foot soldiers for radical handlers operating from abroad.
The latest inputs come months after a deadly car explosion near the Red Fort that exposed a major terror module. With repeated threat assessments naming Delhi among potential targets, security forces remain on edge, maintaining an expanded protective cover over religious and heritage landmarks across the city.
