In an unprecedented tip off from Pakistan, Indian security agencies killed three of the 10 suspected Pakistani terrorists who allegedly entered Gujarat recently to carry out attacks on high-value targets.
Quoting top official sources, news agency PTI reported that the three were neutralised in a western state last Friday before they could carry out any attack in the country.
The top official of the Home Ministry was quoted The Hindu as saying, “We also have information about seven others and we are tracking them. Some of them could also belong to a third country. It is too early to share details, but the terrorists were killed three days ago.”
The official said the Somnath temple in Gujarat’s coast was the target.
The group, all suspected to be Pakistani terrorists allegedly belonged to LeT and JeM. They had planned to attack the Somnath temple in Gujarat during Maha Shivratri on 7 March besides other targets.
However, Gujarat’s Director-General of Police P.C. Thakur told The Hindu that “It’s a rumour.”
Pakistan NSA Naseer Khan Janjua reportedly informed Ajit Doval that 10 Pakistan-based terrorists could have infiltrated into India, possibly through the Gujarat coast in the first week of March. Following the tip-off, intelligence agencies were asked to track down the infiltrators.
Immediately after the intelligence input about the infiltration of the terrorists was received, the Centre had dispatched four NSG teams to Gujarat and they were put in different locations in the state.
A terror alert was sounded in Gujarat and all metros by central security.
An advisory was issued to enhance security at all strategic locations, sensitive industrial sites and religious places after intelligence inputs suggested that the terrorists had entered Gujarat taking the sea route.
A similar alert was also sent to Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chandigarh.