Latest terror alert covers entire southern peninsula and parts of Gujarat

New Delhi, Sep 10: Security has been heightened in the Southern States and Gujarat after inputs warned about a terror strike.

The Army also said that it had found some abandoned boats at Sir Creek.

Lt Gen S K Saini said that they had inputs that there may be a terror attack in the southern part of India. Some abandoned boats have been recovered from Sir Creek. We are taking measures to ensure that the designs of these elements and terrorists are stalled, Lt Gen Saini, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Army, Southern Command said.

"We have got many inputs that there may be a terrorist attack in the southern part of India and peninsular India," he said.

The Army has undertaken measures for capacity building and capability development in the Sir Creek area, keeping in mind the enhanced threat perception, he said.

"We are taking precautions to ensure that any designs of the inimical elements or terrorists are stalled and they do not get the success which they are wishing," he said.

Kerala police chief Lokanath Behera, meanwhile, asked all district police heads to maintain high alert across the state.

The Director-General of Police directed personnel to maintain heightened vigil at bus stands, railway stations, airports and places where people gather in large numbers.

"Security will be tightened at all places where people come out in huge numbers to celebrate Onam," a police release said.

A defence spokesperson in Chennai said the "northernmost point of the Army's southern command includes some parts of Gujarat also.

"The word south from southern command GOC does not mean Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka only. It includes complete southern peninsula and parts of Gujarat."

In Andhra Pradesh, security along the 974-km coastline has been beefed up following threats of a possible terror attack in south India, a top police official said.

"Security has also been stepped up at vital installations in the state by deploying the AP Special Protection Force," Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Ravi Shankar Ayyanar told PTI.

"Our control room is in constant touch 24x7 with all the coastal police stations, as well as the SPF personnel at vital installations and closely monitoring the situation," he added.

In particular, security has also been beefed up at Tirumala, the abode of God Venkateswara and the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

The alert comes in the wake of the National Investigation Agency conducting investigations into an ISIS module case. So far the NIA has registered 27 cases relating to the ISIS of which 18 are from South India. Further, nearly 155 arrests have been made of which 58 are from the South.

With the ISIS trying to spread its ideology, the National Investigation Agency has been conducting training sessions for the police officers of those states affected by the problem. An NIA official tells OneIndia that it is necessary to sensitise the police about the issue because, in case of any issue, they are the first responders. They are being trained to monitor social media, other online activities and also set traps.

It may be recalled that a high alert had been declared after intelligence reports suggested that 15 persons with links to the Islamic State had left Sri Lanka in a boat to Lakshadweep.

In the aftermath of this alert, the police carried out searches at hotels and lodges in Thiruvananthapuram to sneer that no unknown or suspicious persons had checked in.