State on high alert

The high alert sounded on Tuesday mentions Ahmedabad and Surat as key target areas of the state for the suspected fidayeen attacks.

The other cities that have been put on high alert include Delhi,Mumbai,Kolkata,Jaipur,Goa,Bengaluru and Hyderabad. A terror threat from Riyaz Iqbal Bhatkal,an accused of the 2006 Ahmedabad Blasts who is absconding,has also come to the fore.

State DGP S S Khandwawala said: “We have received no information from the Intelligence yet. The vigil is extended to the border areas,coastal areas and other sensitive areas in the state following the terror alert last time,which will continue now also.”

State Intelligence agencies,Anti-Terrorist Squad and Detection of Crime Branch have been instructed to stay alert.

The ATS officers were put on alert after the last terror alert was pronounced on December 14. ATS Chief Ajay Tomar,however,refused to comment on the notice to the squad. He said,“Even if we have received the news,I don’t want to comment on this.”

According to sources,the police have been asked to keep strong vigil at major highways,hotels,entertainment zones,commercial zones,railway stations,airports and government bus stops. They are also preparing a list of illegal immigrants in the city and keeping a watch on them,said a police source.