Ahead of Onam, Army warns of possible terror attack in South India

Abandoned boats have been recovered from Sir Creek

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The Indian Army on Monday confirmed that it had received multiple intelligence inputs about a possible terror attack in South India and claimed some abandoned boats have been recovered from Sir Creek in Gujarat.

The alert came at a time when Kerala is all set to celebrate Onam, the state's biggest celebration, on Wednesday.

“We have got many inputs that there may be a terrorist attack in the southern part of India. Some abandoned boats have been recovered from Sir Creek. We're taking precautions to ensure that designs of inimical elements and terrorists are stalled,” Lt Gen S.K. Saini, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Army Southern Command, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

According to reports, Kerala Director General of Police Lokanath Behera has asked all district police chiefs to maintain tight security in busy areas like bus stations, railway stations and airports.

Army said it had undertaken measures for capacity building and capability development in the area of Sir Creek, keeping in mind the enhanced threat.

The fresh alert came less than a fortnight after Intelligence Bureau issued an alert to Gujarat police saying terrorists from Pakistan might make attempts to enter Indian territory through the Kutch region.

Citing intelligence reports, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh had also claimed that terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) was training its members to carry out underwater attacks, but assured that his force is fully prepared to face any such eventuality.

Singh had said that coastal security was enhanced after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and is capable of rebuffing any enemy attack.