Gujarat on high alert following terror threat

Ahmedabad, Nov 4 : Gujarat Police have stepped up security across the state after intelligence agencies issued a warning about a possible 26/11-like Mumbai terror attack.

According to media reports, defence intelligence agencies have alerted the home ministry about a major terrorist threat to coastal states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka.

When asked about the reports, Gujarat state''s top cop said that since the state shares a border with Pakistan, they are always on vigil.

"The Coast Guard, Navy and jurisdiction police officials jointly did ''Operation Kavach''. So we keep doing all these kinds of exercise to stay alert and also to take on any challenge, to face them jointly... so that there is coordination within all the organisations," said S. S. Khandwawala, Director General of Police.

The state police would soon acquire two helicopters for surveillance of border areas and nine marine commando units are being readied, he added.

"Gujarat will be the first state where police department will have helicopters for surveillance. Apart from that keeping in view Gujarat''s long coastline, there will be nine marine commandos units in Gujarat," he added.

Earlier, Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor warned of attacks similar to the 26/11 Mumbai carnage and said country needed to be on guard to counter such acts of terror.

Talking to reporters here, General Kapoor said: "It is necessary that we take all the steps to ensure that another incident similar to Mumbai attacks do not take place again, but we cannot entirely rule out the possibility of such an attack."

Kapoor also said, a peaceful and stable Pakistan was necessary to India''s security.
As the first anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks is round the corner, the central government has sounded alert and has called up for extra vigil in cities like Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

--ANI