Security in Gujarat was increased following possible terror threats on worshippers observing Mahashivaratri Monday. Pakistan reportedly warned India of attempts of a terror attack at religious sites in the state, following which National Security Guard (NSG) teams were mobilised.
Pakistan's National Security Advisor (NSA) Lieutenant-General Naseer Janjua had Saturday informed Indian NSA Ajit Doval of possible "26/11-type" terror strikes on religious sites on Mahashivaratri, the Indian Express reports. Gujarat was on alert Sunday following inputs that about 10 terrorists had entered from Pakistan.
According to the Hindu, the Pakistani NSA warned India that the terrorists were from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e Muhammed (JeM) groups.
Doval reportedly alerted the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which then warned security agencies in Gujarat of possible attacks at "some coastal pilgrimage centres in Saurashtra or Kutch." The NSG teams were deployed at the Somnath temple and in other parts of the state such as Ahmedabad and Junagadh. An alert had also been raised in Delhi Sunday after reports that the 10 terrorists had entered the capital.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has reportedly called for a security meeting Monday with officials from the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) to assess the internal security situation.
The security scare comes days after an abandoned Pakistani boat was found off the Kutch coast by the Border Security Force. However, it is not clear if the terror threat is connected with the seized boat.
