Security stepped up in Mumbai; Lashkar-e-Taiba threat persists

Security has been enhanced in the metropolis ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations following intelligence inputs about possible attack by Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and in view of the visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev here in Mumbai tomorrow.

"Extensive security measures have been put in place and an alert has been sounded in the city in the wake of inputs of terror threat ahead of the Christmas and the New Year. There are conscious efforts by terror organisations to target foreigners during these two festivals here," said police commissioner Sanjeev Dayal today.

Security has also been stepped up in the view of visit by Medvedev and President Pratibha Patil tomorrow, he said.

The inputs suggested that LeT was planning to strike in Mumbai and Ahmedabad and the outfit's teams have already entered these two commercial hubs.

"We have been continuously receiving inputs from intelligence agencies about possible terror strikes. We are analysing these inputs and taking things very seriously," the city police chief added.

Security agencies in the city are co-ordinating to avert any terror attack, he said.

Dayal also appealed to the citizens to remain alert and not to panic.

Security has been strengthened at vital installations, railway stations, crowded areas, religious places  and embassies, police said.

The bomb squad will conduct regular checks at the parking lots and Quick Response Team commandos and a strike mobile van have been deployed, they said.

In September, police revealed that two suspected foreign terrorists had sneaked into the financial capital to carry out disruption at crowded places and religious congregations.

Photographs of the duo - Kalimuddin Khan alias Rameshwar Pandit (28) from Pakistan and Hafij Khijir Ulla Sarif (25), a Bangladeshi - were then released by the police.

However, the two has not been traced so far.