Mystery vessel off Diu triggers high alert

Security has been tightened at vital installations in Mumbai, including the airport and railway stations, following intelligence warnings.

Fishermen informed the navy and the security agencies that they had spotted a white boat bearing the name “Al Salam” and unspecified registration number off Diu coast, south of Gujarat. Five persons in it asked for directions from them.

Following the tip-off, a “massive search operation was carried out. “We have enquired with the fishermen who made such claims. So far, we have not come across any such boat,” a navy official said.

The search operation has been called off but surveillance along the coast has been enhanced and a coordinated action involving the navy, the coast guard and the police has been put in place.

Fishermen had been asked to be on alert and provide information if they spot the boat again.

Authorities are taking no chances considering that 10 Pakistanis, who attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008, had used a boat to reach there from Karachi.

Vigilance along the 40-km long coastline of Mumbai, has been beefed up. Fifteen speed boats of the Mumbai police are patrolling the city’s waterfront.

Security has been tightened also at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport, railway stations and other vital installations in Mumbai after central intelligence agencies issued an alert about a possible terror strike.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the Mumbai police received inputs from Delhi police and other central intelligence agencies that there could be a terror attack on April 22 at the airport, officials said.

Maharashtra DGP A N Roy has reviewed the security arrangements for IPL matches to be held at the D Y Patil Sports Stadium in Navi Mumbai. He said “it is clear from the explosions outside the Bangalore stadium that the IPL is on their (terrorists) target. Keeping this in mind, the required number of police deployment has been made at the venue.”