Mumbai on high-alert after France terror attack

In the wake of the terror attack in the French city of Nice, Mumbai has been put on high alert, with security arrangements across all pivotal points of the city beefed up.

A police source said, “After the attack in France, Mumbai has been put on high-alert to ensure the safety of city dwellers. A number of police vans will be patrolling the city and nakabandis will be organized at major junctions. We have also notified the bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS) and alerted them about the areas most prone to terror attacks. Other relevant agencies have also been informed.”

“Maximum security is being deployed at the airports and government buildings. Since South Bombay has witnessed most attacks, a number of small and medium sized combat vehicles will be stationed in the area for quick response,” he added.

The source did not disclose if there was any direct threat made in the wake of the France attacks.

The Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) have also been asked to stay vigilant and monitor the crowd for any suspicious activity.

On Thursday night, a truck crashed into a crowd celebrating ‘Bastille Day’ in Nice, killing at least 84 people. The driver also open fired on the citizens before being shot dead by the police minutes later. While no organization has taken responsibility for the attack, sources claim that it was the work of a terrorist outfit.

Since the Islamic State attacks last year, all public events in France have been guarded by armed police. However, there was little they could do to stop the speeding truck before it could bring down the barricade and hurt innocent civilians.