Security beefed up in Delhi ahead of festive season

Security was strengthened and searches conducted in the national capital on Thursday following intelligence inputs about terrorists sneaking into the city and planning terror strikes ahead of the festive season.

Senior security officials said four terrorists believed to be belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) have reached the capital.

Following this, critical infrastructures, including Delhi airport and Delhi Metro, have been put on extra vigil. Crowded places like markets, shopping malls and localities where people gather for Durga Puja and Dusshera celebrations across the capital.

The security establishment has also alerted police in the suburbs of Delhi like Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and Gurugram in Haryana. Airports across North India have also been put on high alert following the input.

A senior Delhi Police official said they were on high alert as the festive season has set in. "We had received an input about possible strikes. We have conducted searches. There is nothing to worry as all precaution has been taken," the official said.

The official said festival seasons have always been a target of terror groups operating from Pakistan and so far, the security establishment has managed to ensure that nothing untoward happened.

With the BJP-led government revoking special status of Jammu and Kashmir, inputs suggest that some terror groups were attempting to "avenge" it by carrying out strikes in the country.

A senior security official said more than two dozen cities and towns in the country has already been put on alert.