Mumbai on ‘highest’ alert after air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan
Security agencies have increased vigilance across vital installations and CCTV surveillance in places like the airport, railway stations, and other key locations (Representational Image, Courtesy: Shubham Kumar)
Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, has been put on ‘highest alert’ in wake of air strikes carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on terror camps in Pakistan’s Balakot.
Apart from increasing vigil across vital installations, the Maharashtra government has also called for office bearers of the schools and colleges, along with the bus owner’s association, to ensure the safety of students amid the prevailing situation.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the state legislature that security has been tightened across the city, which has witnessed several terror attacks in the past, and appealed to people not to panic.
After intelligence informed Mumbai police to be on high alert, the vigilance and CCTV surveillance has been increased in places like the airport, railway stations, and other key locations.
Further, quick response commandos, the special branch, and the police’s intelligence unit have been deployed. Citizens can also expect more nakabandis in parts of the city, in accordance with the standard operating procedure.
BEST drivers have been given walkie-talkies to communicate with the control room in case of any untoward incident, and Railway Security Agencies have been conducting checks at major stations.
While Mumbai is perpetually on alert, security forces are exercising utmost caution in wake of the air strikes at a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province during the wee hours of Tuesday.
According to Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, a “large number” of terrorists, including top commanders, were eliminated in the strikes, conducted in response to the dastardly Pulwama terror attack earlier this month.
The terror camp, located in a thick forest area atop a hill, was led by Ustad Gauri, brother-in-law of JeM chief Masood Azhar, Gokhale said, making a statement before the media, hours after the air strikes using Mirage 2000 were carried out.
In retaliation, Pakistan violated ceasefire in a number of places along the LoC and heavy shelling was also reported in the region.
In addition to Mumbai, security agencies in the national capital and states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh has also been put on high alert.
