india

Updated: Mar 06, 2016 01:00 IST

The Gujarat government has beefed up security across the state, especially along its coastal belt, following a note by national security adviser Ajit Doval about the possible infiltration by 8 to 10 terrorists through land or sea border with Pakistan. The alert was sounded in Kutch district that shares both land and sea border with Pakistan.

The central advisory came following reports by security forces along the borders about five incidents of fishing boats being abandoned off the Kutch coast in the last three months, the latest being on Friday night.

Gujarat additional chief secretary (Home) PK Taneja on Saturday held a meeting with heads of all three wings of the defence, police and IB chiefs as well as head of paramilitary forces.

“Security arrangements at all important installations across state have been beefed up after national security adviser Ajit Doval wrote to Gujarat in this regard,’’ said a top official.

After the meeting between various security agencies, director general of police PC Thakur held a video conference with all the district police chiefs. While the police stations are likely to carry out combing operation during night in their respective areas, security cover was scaled up at malls, cinema halls and bus stands. The police is also likely to do a check at hotels and guest houses. All the sanctioned leaves for the police were cancelled.

“Chetak commandos were moved to Sardar Patel International Airport even as the police have began thorough checks of any suspected passengers at railway station,’’ an official added.

Heavy patrolling and checking was also put in place at the inter-state border points with Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Important monuments and pilgrimage centres like Somnath temple, Dwarka Temple, Akashardham, power plants, defence, dams like Sardar Sarovar Dam and security establishments have also been put on alert.

The incidents concerning the five abandoned boats found in the past three months have been thoroughly investigated. An abandoned boat was found by a BSF patrolling team off Koteshwar coast in Kutch on Friday.

According to reports, the boat was spotted around 8.30 pm. The fishing equipment and fuel found on board suggested the alleged Pakistani fishermen might have fled seeing the patrolling team in the vicinity.

The boat is 20 feet long and 10 feet wide. Some ration, water jugs, fishing nets, crabs, diesel and mattresses were found on board the abandoned boat.