New Delhi: The Home Ministry today issued alert following inputs on a possible terror attack in two hotels in the national capital and on the New Delhi-Agra highway. Ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to India, U.S. and Indian intelligence agencies have shared specific inputs of a possible attack in Delhi, Mumbai or Hyderabad. 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawachief Hafiz Saeed is believed to behind the sinister plan, as per reports.
The MHA alert reportedly came after US’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tipped off Indian security agencies of possible terror strike ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit to New Delhi in January, where he will be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.
Meanwhile, reacting to the reports of terror threat in the national capital, Delhi Police chief BS Bassi assured that necessary steps are being taken to ensure safety. In the bloodiest terror attack in Pakistan in years, at least 144 people, mostly children, were killed yesterday by heavily-armed Taliban suicide bombers who stormed an Army-run school in Peshawar and took several hostages.
In the wake of the terror attack on a school in Pakistan’s Peshawar, Centre today asked all states to beef up security particularly in educational institutions. An advisory has been issued to the state governments,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh told reporters outside Parliament House.
Though the Minister did not elaborate, officials in the Home Ministry had said that the guidelines for schools will include asking them to prepare an escape plan for children in case of a terror attack, how to prevent hostage situation, how to raise alarm and shut doors and gates in case of an emergency.
Officials have said that some schools would be given special instructions separately and they would be asked to coordinate with local police and administration for security drills. According to them, a few top schools in Delhi, Mumbai and some residential schools in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are likely to be given special security guidelines.
Bureau Report
Leave a Reply