India girds itself for any eventuality

AGENCIES

 

NEW DELHI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday was given an update on the latest security situation by the chiefs of the three armed forces following violation of Indian airspace by Pakistani fighter jets in Jammu and Kashmir and the capture of the Indian pilot across the line of control.

National security advisor Ajit Doval, senior officials of the Indian Navy, Army and the Air Force and other security officials also had a meeting to discuss the current security situation, they said.

Several states have been put on alert  as tensions between two neighbouring countries escalated on Wednesday.

Security has been bolstered across the national capital amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan, the police said on Wednesday.

At a meeting chaired by Delhi police commissioner Amulya Patnaik on Tuesday, all police officers were instructed to increase vigil in their respective districts, they said.

Patrolling and surveillance have been enhanced in sensitive areas, including railways stations, bus terminals, shopping malls, government institutions and at the national capital’s borders, a senior
police officer said.

Army personnel have been deployed at sensitive locations in Mumbai  along with the local police in view of the increased tension on the Indo-Pak border, an official said in the city on Wednesday.

Along with central paramilitary forces, Army jawans are guarding key railway stations, airport, the area outside the western naval command headquarters and various defence establishments in Mumbai and neighbouring towns, he said.

Videos circulated on social media showed large vehicles being moved in the city. Some onlookers claimed they were anti-aircraft gun carriages but there was no official word on the vehicles’ contents.

The police said they facilitated swift movement of defence vehicles from Thane to Mumbai Tuesday night.

“We received a request for assistance from the defence forces and we provided it,” said a police official involved in traffic management.

The police vigil has been enhanced in Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Nashik and Kolhapur as well. The government is  ensuring there is no disturbance to the ongoing HSC (Class XII) examinations in the state.

In Mumbai, the tension was palpable on city roads and highways where random checks were  being carried out in private and commercial vehicles, BEST or private buses.

As tensions with Pakistan escalated, Indian oil companies have put in motion a “very strong plan” including moving a convoy of 500 trucks to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies to all defence and strategic assets, top officials said.

Tanks feeding defence establishment in forward areas along the border with Pakistan are all “topped up” and have enough fuel to meet any eventuality, they said.

Oil companies had topped up all storages in Jammu and Kashmir and other forward areas before the Tuesday’s pounding of a terrorist camp inside Pakistan.

And now, as many as 500 oil tankers are being moved to the state and other forward locations to stock up jet fuel (ATF), diesel and other petroleum products for ensuring fuel supplies beyond the 10-day stock firms generally maintain, they said.

Commercial flight operations at many airports across north India,  disturbed following air space restrictions that were imposed by the Indian Air Force  as a  precautionary measure, were resumed after the withdrawal of Notam.

The operations, restricted from early Wednesday morning, were resumed after the withdrawal of  the “notice to airmen”  issued by the air traffic control under the directions of  the IAF.

The development comes a day after IAF jets bombed the biggest training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed  outfit in Balakot, Pakistan on Tuesday.