Capital on alert as hunt for seven terror suspects begin

Security agencies in the capital are on the lookout for seven armed men from Gurdaspur in Punjab donning Army fatigues of the ranks of captain and subedhar, ready to carry out a terror strike on the Delhi Metro ahead of Republic Day, after an alert was generated from the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), based on technical surveillance.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has stepped up vigil following the lead. Frisking and passenger profiling has also been further tightened, leading to long queues at busy stations during peak hours.

Following the alert, a security review meeting, headed by a Deputy Inspector General, was held on Saturday at the CISF's DMRC headquarters in Shastri Park, in which the Delhi police, Ghaziabad police and Haryana police also took part.

The alert was received last week and adequate security measures have been taken to avert any untoward incident in the Delhi Metro.

"As informed to the CISF, technical surveillance revealed that seven men have infiltrated into the country and have purchased army uniforms from Punjab in order to gain easy access to VVIPs and important installations like Delhi Metro. It has also been conveyed that these men may either carry out a group attack or a lone-wolf attack at different locations at the same time," a senior CISF officer told DNA.

Ahead of Republic Day, it is usual for agencies to generate intelligence, but most of it is not specific.

Sources said the meeting was held to check preparedness, and four companies has been deployed along with the striking reserve of CISF. Quick Response Teams at Metro stations have also been increased and strategies keeping in mind all possibilities of attack in the Metro have been chalked out.

"The Delhi Metro is widespread and also touches NCR areas. Senior police officers from the NCR also attended the security review meeting in order to maintain a tighter security in Delhi Metro. Every person entering the Metro is being scanned by armed plainclothesmen who have been deployed at stations as well as trains. Circulating areas are also being watched and the frequency of checks by the anti-sabotage teams, including a dog and bomb squad, has increased manifold," said a senior officer.

Dummy checks are also being performed by intelligence agencies and the Delhi Metro Rail Police to check the CISF's level of preparedness. Stringent frisking and passenger profiling is also leading to long queues as the busy stations during peak hours, an officer said. Senior CISF officers have requested commuters to cooperate as safety of the public is the force's priority.