Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 14: Security in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and in the national capital of New Delhi have been beefed up on the eve of the Independence Day celebrations after the Jammu and Kashmir Police busted a terror module Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) on Saturday and arrested four persons and their associates.
The Jaish module was allegedly planning to carry out an attack on the Independence Day having already carried out a recce of the oil refinery in Panipat with the under-construction Ayodhya Ram temple being next on its agenda.
Police said interrogation of the arrested terrorists revealed that they were planning collection of arms dropped by drones and supply to other Jaish terrorists in Kashmir, plotting to plant an IED in Jammu before August 15 and reconnaissance of important targets in other parts of the country.
According to sources in the police, weapons and explosives were recovered from the possession of the terrorists. A motorcycle IED was to be used to carry out the attack, the sources added.
The police first arrested Muntazir Manzoor of Prichoo area in Pulwama. One pistol, a magazine, eight live rounds and two Chinese hand grenades were recovered from his possession. A truck allegedly used for transporting weapons to the Kashmir Valley was also seized.
Following Muntazir Manzoor’s arrest, three other Jaish terrorists were held. During interrogation, one of the terrorists told police that a Jaish commander in Pakistan, whom he identified as Munazir alias Shahid, had asked him to collect weapons from Punjab which would be dropped through a drone.
He said the Jaish commander asked him to do a recce at the Panipat oil refinery. He said he had sent videos of the refinery to his commander in Pakistan. The terrorist said he was then tasked to do the reconnaissance of Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi, but was arrested.
Another arrested terrorist, identified as Touseef Ahmed Shah of Shopian told police that his task was to take up accommodation in Jammu and then procure a second-hand motorcycle which was to be used for an IED blast in Jammu.
The IED for this purpose was to be dropped via a drone, he said.
The fourth terrorist, Jahangir Ahmed of Pulwama, worked as a fruit merchant but was doing recruitment for Jaish in India, the police said.
Intelligence inputs revealed that Pakistan-based terror outfits had made elaborate plans to target security establishments and forward posts on the Independence Day and have been pushing arms and ammunition into the country.
A high alert was sounded in Jammu last month following inputs from intelligence agencies about Pakistan-backed terror organisations planning to carry out attacks on temples to spark tensions.
Security was also beefed up in Kashmir ahead of the Independence Day celebrations with the forces resorting to “technical surveillance” including the use of drones to monitor the situation
Security forces in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir have intercepted several drones over the past month while they were trying to make arms drops.
In the national capital, security has been scaled up across the capital city with thousands of personnel keeping strict vigil at strategic locations, including the Delhi-borders where farmers have been on a sit-in for over eight months to protest the centre’s new agri laws, officials said.
According to the police, a multi-layered security cover has been put at the Red Fort from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on the 75th Independence Day.
Multi-layered security arrangements are also in place with heavy barricading and extra picket deployments at vital installations across the city, including the Indira Gandhi International Airport, railway stations and bus terminals along with border areas to thwart any untoward incident.
Anti-sabotage checks are being carried out and patrolling has been intensified across the city, including on the Yamuna river where patrolling is being conducted on motor boats by the Delhi Police. Anti-terrorist measures are being carried out in view of threat perception and intelligence inputs, they said.
Chinmoy Biswal, Delhi Police PRO said, “In view of Independence day, elaborate security arrangements have been made in coordination with other security agencies at and around Red Fort in a coordinated manner. Arrangements have been made to combat hostile elements. No aerial objects, balloons are allowed this Independence Day.” At the Mughal-era fort, a security ring, including NSG snipers, elite SWAT commandos and kite catchers, have been placed, while anti drone systems have also been installed there in view of recent terror attack at IAF station in Jammu airport, officials said.
Policemen in civil dress would be deployed at strategic locations across the capital with extra focus in and around the Red Fort.
As part of the anti-terror measures, enhanced police presence, intensive checking at vulnerable points, checking of hotels and guest houses, SIM card and second hand car dealers, sensitisation of cyber cafe owners and verification of tenant and servant drives have been intensively carried out by all the police stations, officials said.
All the vehicles are being thoroughly checked for any suspicious activity especially at the border points, they said.
PCR vans, ‘Prakhar’ vans and QRT (Quick Reaction Team) vans have been stationed at as part of security deployment along with intensified patrolling by police personnel on motorcycle across the city, police officials said.
