Hyderabad: Airports and defence installations have been put on ‘high red alert’ after an intelligence input was received from Pakistan. Sources said the information was shared at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit with Indian officials.
The intelligence was also shared with US counterparts who in turn informed the Indians officials, a top source in the foreign ministry said. The intelligence came from the Pakistan Army, said a highly placed source.
Following this, an internal message was issued to airports and defence installations from New Delhi to increase security to high red alert levels.
“During the SCO meeting, Pakistan shared crucial information with their Indian counterparts regarding ‘possible terror attacks’ of a degree similar to that of the Pulwama attack in February. No specific input (target) was given except for mapping out Jammu and Kashmir, indicating the region was under high threat,” said the source.
“Separately, information was shared with US officials, who in turn informed India. The reason behind Pakistan sharing the information with the US could be to make it clear that intel was provided much in advance and India could not deny the same,” said the source.
The highly sensitive information was channeled from the foreign ministry to the home ministry, the J&K administration and other border defence stakeholders.
A reliable source from the home ministry confirmed that the intelligence came from the Pakistan Army. “Sharing intel on possible attacks indicates a shift in Pakistan policy, because they want to portray on the international stage that the Imran Khan government is different from the earlier ones and they are taking a hard stand against terrorism,” added a source.
On June 12, five CRPF jawans were killed and three others were injured on Wednesday when terrorists carried out an attack on a busy road in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.
Following the Pulwama attack on February 14, where 44 CRPF jawans were killed, all Indian airports were put on high red alert and the status continued till the Lok Sabha elections.
“The high red alert was relaxed to red alert after the elections. However 27 stakeholders guarding the airports were informed through a message from New Delhi to be on high vigil. The existing forces have been buttressed with the joint efforts of the regional police,” said a CISF officer when asked about the alert. “Air passengers are requested to cooperate with the security personnel during frisking and are advised to reach the airports hours ahead of the scheduled departure as there could be random checks on the way to the airport by the region police,” a CISF officer said.
