Celebrations in Mumbai. (Deepak Joshi, Amit Chakravarty)Even as celebrations broke out in parts of Mumbai on Tuesday following strikes by the Indian Air Force on terror camps in Pakistan early this morning, police deployment was increased in parts of the city after Maharashtra was put on ‘high alert’.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the state legislature that security has been tightened across the city. “Mumbai is always on high alert and citizens need not panic,” Fadnavis said.
Sanjay Kumar, Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner told The Indian Express, “We are on high alert and have focused on coastal security. Checkpoints around coastal areas have been increased.”
A senior Maharashtra police official said that instructions had also been issued to police chiefs across the state.
“Police units have been told to watch out for any overt or covert actions being planned by communities in the wake of the air strikes,” the official said.
Celebrations in Thane. (Deepak Joshi, Amit Chakravarty)A senior Mumbai Police official also said a large police bandobast had been made in the sensitive pockets of the city.
Meanwhile, in several parts of Mumbai and Thane, citizens took to the streets to celebrate after IAF attacked Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training camp in Pakistan early Tuesday, killing up to 350 terrorists and trainers who were moved there for their protection after the Pulwama attack. On February 14, at least 40 CRPF personnel were killed and several others injured in a terror attack in J&K’s Pulwama. JeM had claimed responsibility for the attack.
Amit Wagchaure, who distributed sweets among commuters at Thane railway station, said: “We had organised something like this during the previous surgical strike to celebrate the valour of our armymen. But this time, more people joined us and the scale was much bigger.”
In Mumbai, Mohammad Rizvi of the Raza Academy, said, “What happened today should have happened much before. All of us are proud of what the Indian Air Force did, and stand by its decision.” Raza Academy and its volunteers celebrated near Minara Masjid in Pydhonie and distributed sweets among local residents and shopkeepers.
At Bharatiya Sainiki Vidyalaya and Junior College in Khadavli village, students cheered for the armed forces.
“We are proud to be students of a military school. It (IAF) has taken a great action against the terrorists,” Vikas Joshi, a student, said.
Highlighting that Pakistan has a history of denying such attacks, South Mumbai activist M A Khalid said, “Pakistan’s claim that Indian Air Force was forced to return after crossing 4-5 km of the LoC is hard to believe.
They had initially denied the previous surgical strike too. Every Indian wants to congratulate our Air Force today for making the nation proud.”
