Terrorists may slip into Mumbai by train, warns Intelligence report

Mumbai: According to an intelligence input, terror groups may use the railway network to sneak into Mumbai with their cargo of deadly explosives.

Cops have increased checks and patrolling on all major entry points to the city and railway stations.

"There are intelligence reports which warn that terror groups from Khalistan and Lashkar-e-Toiba are planning a major terror strike in the city. Members of the terror outfit would use the railways to slip into the city," said senior inspector Dilip Gore attached to Kurla Railway police.

The report also points to some members of the Khalistan Commando Force joining hands with LeT, and  explosives could be transported by trains to avoid detection.

The railway police have launched a massive search at all stations across the city. Bags and suspicious packages are being checked thoroughly, confirmed Gore.

The gravity of the threat can be gauged from the fact Mumbai police have already turned the stadium into a fortress and the Commissioner of Police Arup Patnaik is personally supervising the security arrangements for the past one week.

The coastal police and Coast Guard ships are also on high alert as suspects from Pakistan may hijack boats to sneak in to the country.

The police have also thrown a cordon around luxury hotels in South Mumbai. Barricades have been put up to prevent unauthorised persons from getting close to the cricketers as precautionary security measures.

Police spokesperson DCP Rajkumar Vhatkar confirmed that there are reports of terrorists planning strikes in the city. However, he underplayed it by adding that the intelligence inputs were quite 'general' in nature.

Alerts so far

July 14, 2010

The Intelligence Bureau, in its alert, warned that at least seven places in Maharashtra, including a reputed bank in Mumbai and an important railway junction in Navi Mumbai, could be attacked. The alert also contained photographs of the seven 'targets'.
 
Sept 10, 2010

Union Home Ministry and Mumbai Police claimed that two suspected terrorists had entered the city to cause disruption during the festive season. Home Ministry sources said that while one of them was a Pakistani with suspected links with the Lashkar-e-Toiba, the second was from Bangladesh with suspected Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJi) links.

Dec 23, 2010

Mumbai police declared areas around the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Gateway of India in Colaba out of bounds for all vehicles, except those owned by guests visiting the iconic hotel, for a fortnight.

Acting on an Intelligence report that four trained terrorists had sneaked in  to the city, police boats and Coast Guard vessels cordoned-off the seafront up to five nautical miles off the Gateway of India.

Security arrangements

• The police are running a background check on all workers hired for different jobs during the matches.
• Senior inspectors of all police stations have been asked to maintain extra vigil.
• Officials have been asked to lookout for vehicles parked on busy roads.
• The first layer of security comprises of mobile combat team under an ACP with one sub-inspector and four men armed with AK 47 assault rifles,  two SLR and five 9 mm pistols.
• The second layer comprises of 20 personnel from the Quick Response Team (QRT). Four bulletproof vehicles commanded by a sub-inspector are positioned in the area.
• QRT personnel on the job are equipped with bullet-proof trucks or Maharakshak in case of an enemy attack. Each truck has a compliment of nine commandos and one officer.