Anticipating a strike by Pakistan-based terror outfits in the country, particularly the metros, in the aftermath of Army’s surgical strikes+ in PoK, the home ministry on Friday issued an alert seeking stepped up vigil at strategic installations, industrial complexes, crowded places, airports, historical monuments and government buildings across the country.
The alert identified Delhi, along with Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra and Gujarat as possible targets.
Intelligence sources, citing credible inputs, said there was a strong possibility of Pakistan’s ISI directing a highly motivated and heavily armed terror cell+ to carry out a strike in the capital. A hunt has been launched for suspected terrorists, pushed into J&K some time ago, who have now been asked to carry out a swift retaliatory strike against the Indian raid on terror launch pads in PoK+ .
Sources said the prospect of Pakistan’s military-intelligence combine seeking to avenge the surgical strikes by India was reviewed at an hour-long meeting home minister Rajnath Singh held with the intelligence and security brass on Friday.
Home minister Rajnath Singh held a security review+ on Friday where intelligence inputs on the “serious” threat of a spectacular strike by fidayeen hiding in the country or likely to enter through the land borders or the sea route, was discussed. The home ministry advisory said Pakistan-backed terror outfits may try to execute a major “revenge” strike in the coming days.
Sources said participants in the review meeting — national security advisor AK Doval, home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and chiefs of Intelligence Bureau and RAW — also examined the possibility of terrorists targeting private enterprises to avenge the Indian raids.
Besides fidayeen strikes involving Pakistani terrorists who have infiltrated, the meeting also took into account the possibility of attacks by jihadi cells comprising radicalised locals promoted by ISI as part of Pakistan’s “proxy war” against India. The threat posed by these groups has decreased since some of their cells were neutralized while others switched their allegiance to Islamic State. But local sleeper cells which take their cue from ISI have not been totally eliminated and could be activated, the agencies fear.
