New Delhi: Delhi will remain on high alert, sounded after the Pathankot attack, till the Republic Day as the Centre has asked the Delhi Police to be prepared to foil any attempt by terrorists to carry out strikes in the city.
The directive has come after intelligence inputs suggested that there could be 6 to 10 Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists who had crossed over to India from Pakistan through Punjab in recent past.
Sources said six suspected JeM terrorists were killed in the Pathankot air base after three days of fierce gun battle, but there is a possibility of a few remaining at large.
Besides, according to a Punjab Police input, there could 15 terrorists who have breached the International Border and had entered India from Pakistan.
“Based on all these inputs, the Delhi Police has been asked to remain on high alert till the Republic Day as its main function will be held in the national capital. We don’t want to take any chance on any input,” a source said.
French President Francois Hollande will be the chief guest at the January 26 event to be held on capital’s majestic Rajpath.
Security has been beefed up in Delhi’s IGI airport after another input suggested that terrorists may try to create a hostage-like situation.
Both domestic and international flights have been asked to upgrade the scale of security, with some passengers being made to undergo ‘secondary ladder checking’ in some flights.
A ‘secondary ladder checking’ is conducted just when the passenger is about to enter the aircraft with an aim to ensure that he is not carrying any weapon or chemical.
Staff of several airlines have been sensitised about the alert, asking them to report any suspicious movement or object.
The CISF, which guards the high-valued installation, has been asked to maintain extra vigil with the deployment of additional personnel.
It October 2015, security forces went into a tizzy after they spotted a flying object, an UAV, on the outer periphery of the airport.
In December 2015, Delhi was put on high alert after Delhi Police registered an FIR regarding a possible terror strike by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group.