Security has been tightened in Goa amid fears of a terrorist attack by Pakistan-based militant groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, ahead of the tourist season and the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) there, officials said on Wednesday. | A Goa police officer said the state had been warned by central intelligence agencies that there could be an attack. |
A Goa police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the state had been warned by central intelligence agencies that there could be an attack.
Arrival of tourists from the US and Europe has started peaking in Goa and the militant groups might try to create disturbance by targeting the foreign tourists, official sources said. Earlier this year, two Lashkar militants, who were trying to target tourists, were arrested in Goa.
| Earlier this year, two Lashkar militants, who were trying to target tourists, were arrested in Goa. |
The state police have sought two additional companies of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a precautionary measure. "A local CISF company, along with another from Mumbai, has been deployed in the state as the tourist season has begun", D K Sawant, Superintendent of Police, North Goa, said.
He, however, denied that there was any specific threat perception for IFFI or the New Year season that would follow. IFFI will commence from November 23, while the feast of St. Francis Xavier at Old Goa would be celebrated on December, four. "Tourist season has already begun in Goa with guests flocking to the beaches and city roads. We are taking ample precautions considering that a large number of tourists have flown into Goa", Sawant said.
He, however, said there is no need to panic. "Whether there is a specific threat or not, it is a fact that the tourist season is a high-impact time for any terror attack," an official said. "We have to see that we don't have a Bali-like incident," he added. Intelligence agencies have warned attacks could be carried out by suicide bombers and might also target Army camps and other vital installations such as nuclear plants. |