Updated

Ahmedabad, Mar 6 (PTI): Gujarat was today on high alert following intelligence inputs that terrorists have sneaked into the state, with raids being conducted at Kutch and other places, security beefed up at vital installations and sensitive areas and NSG teams on standby.

The leave of all police personnel, including officers, has been cancelled and the state government has increased security at all the main temples of the state for 'Maha Shivaratri' festival tomorrow.

A massive security operation has been launched and raids were conducted by a police team, led by South Kutch Superintendent of Police Makrand Chauhan, early this morning in Varnora village of Bhuj taluka in Kutch district bordering Pakistan, police sources said.

The Kutch police also raided Noorani Mahel hotel and Muslim Jamat Khana in Bhuj, they said.

"The state government received a serious information from central government yesterday that terrorists have entered Gujarat. We held a meeting where it was discussed that all measures will be taken to ensure no untoward incident takes place," Gujarat Minister of State for Home Rajni Patel said.

With 'Maha Shivaratri' festival tomorrow, the state government has also increased security at all the main temples.

"Especially during Maha Shivratri, lakhs of pilgrims visit temples in Junagadh, Somnath and other temples. So we have issued high alert for security of these temples too," Patel said.

Two National Security Guard (NSG) teams comprising nearly 200 personnel have been sent from Delhi to Gujarat to meet any eventuality, official sources said.

Policemen were seen patrolling the highways since early morning. Security of all the Air Force and Army bases has also been ramped up.

"The Centre has offered all help and NSG task-force has arrived here which is currently being briefed about the various (vital and sensitive) locations," he said.

"We have alerted coastal as well as border police near Kutch to take all necessary steps to beef-up security. In Kutch, we have asked the local police to remain in co-ordination with Border Security Force (BSF)," he said.

"Till now, we have not found any suspicious person. However, whatever information is received by us is serious and we are taking all necessary steps about it," Patel said.

State Director General of Police P C Thakur, who issued orders late last night cancelling leave of all policemen, said they were prepared to deal with any situation.

"We are on high alert and prepared to deal with any situation. We have started combing operations across various locations. We have also sensitised places that see high rate of footfall," Thakur said.

"We are taking all precautions. Security across coastal areas and other vital installations has been increased. If required, NSG team will be deployed as per their protocol," he said.

On reports claiming that Pakistan alerted Indian authorities about the possible infiltration of terrorists in Gujarat, state Director General of Police (IB & CID) Pramod Kumar said the state Intelligence Bureau received information from the Central IB.

"We don't know anything about Pakistan's role in providing this information. We received this information from Central IB. I don't know anything more than that," said Kumar.

Tight vigil is being kept at railway stations and airports.

Notably, a Pakistani fishing boat was seized on Friday by a BSF patrol party after its occupants fled upon seeing the border security personnel in the Koteshwar creek area off the Kutch coast along the Indo-Pakistan border.

BSF officials had said that nothing suspicious was found in the boat.

Earlier Report

10 terrorists have entered Gujarat: Pakistan's NSA

Ahmedabad/Pathankot, Mar 6 (TOI) : Gujarat was put on a state of high alert on Saturday following an intelligence input from Pakistan's National Security Adviser (NSA) Nasir Khan Janjua to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval that 10 terrorists had entered the state to carry out strikes.

Intelligence agencies believe this infiltration is aimed at creating disturbances on or around Shivaratri which falls on Monday. Pakistan's NSA has informed that these are fidayeen from the Lashkar-E-Taiba and Jaish-eMuhammed cadres.

Following Doval's communication to Gujarat, security has been stepped up at sensitive installations, places of worship and public places. This is the first time that Pakistan has shared such specific intelligence.

All security agencies in Gujarat have been placed on a state of high alert and despatched to specific locations which are vulnerable. The state director general of police P C Thakur convened an emergency meeting on the issue and alerts were sounded off in all major cities and districts.

The DGP issued a notification cancelling leaves of all police officers and personnel till further directives. In an order signed late on Saturday night, Thakur directed that police officers on leave should resume duty . Sources said the directive underscores the fact that state is taking the terror input very seriously.

A high-level meeting of top cops and senior government officials was also held at the secretariat to discuss the plan of action in wake of the specific terror input.

What is the use of this input after entering India? Everyone knows it is difficult task to search for Terror1sts in a country with 125 crore population.This is part of Pak double game.

Meanwhile, in Pathankot, Western Army Commander Lt Gen K J Singh told reporters, "There are security-related problems today. You know, Maha Shivratri is coming. There are inputs which are disturbing but notwithstanding that extra care has been taken."

When asked to elaborate on the inputs, he refused but said such events are planned to create "maximum media impact" given the fact that the Parliament session is on and a major festival is round the corner.