Centre asks states to step up vigil
The Centre has issued an alert across states, especially those housing defence and naval installations to maintain high vigil in the wake of the terrorist strike on a key military base in Karachi. Security agencies have been asked to beef up vigil specifically in coastal areas and at all vital installations across the country. The decision was taken at a high-level security review meeting chaired by Cabinet secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar on Monday.
Earlier in the day, home minister P. Chidambaram said that the Centre has alerted all states based on intelligence inputs available with the Central agencies. He said that the attack on Pakistan Navy’s air base has once again highlighted the fact that India lives in a troubled neighbourhood.
On media reports that Taliban chief Mullah Omar had been killed in Pakistan, Mr Chidambaram said there were contradictory versions and “we have to wait and see whether that report is correct”. He said India had “some information” on the movements of Mullah Omar.
“But that was only information we had picked up. But, today Afghan authorities have disclosed that he was killed,” he said.
The home minister said India was “not happy” about the attack in Karachi. “In fact, we are sad that lives are lost. But that (Pakistan) is today a troubled state. Government sources said that additional forces will be deployed in public and religious places, military camps to foil any attempt by militants to disturb peace. Security forces are also keeping a “very, very careful” vigil along the border in J&K to foil any infiltration attempt by militants,” the home minister said, adding that such attempts increase during summer months.
On the arrest of Indian national and terror accused Mohammad Niaz Abdul Rashid in France, Mr Chidambaram disclosed that Niaz, who hails from Tamil Nadu and allegedly associated with Simi, was part of a network which is recruiting people for jihad in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region.
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