Highlights
- Security was beefed up across the shore by the Coast Guard in Mumbai.
- The development came a day after "26/11 style attack" threats were made.
- A Police team has been deployed across sea shores with guns and other security equipment.
Mumbai 26/11 threat: One day after Mumbai Traffic Control Room received a threat from a Pakistani number warning to replicate "26/11 style" attacks, security was beefed up across the shore by the Coast Guard under operation 'Sagar Kavach'. Also, the Gateway of India has been closed for tourists today.
A Police team has been deployed across sea shores with guns and other security equipment. Since Nariman Point was also on the target of terrorists during the actual 26/11 attacks, security has also been beefed up there. At least 6 to 7 police personnel have been deployed at each entry point.
A man was detained from Virar near Mumbai and the Mumbai Crime Branch team which is probing the threat messages is questioning him, sources said on Saturday. The messages were received on WhatsApp on a helpline number of traffic police's Worli control room around 11:45 on Friday night.
While one message said that six people will execute the attack, another said preparations were on to blow up Mumbai which will bring back the memories of the 26/11 attack, officials said.
"Police received messages around 11.45 pm on Friday, which threatened that a 26/11-like attack would be carried out in Mumbai and the city would be blown up. There was a mention of 26/11 attacks terrorist Ajmal Kasab and (deceased) Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in the messages," city police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar said at a press conference on Saturday.
The ten Pakistani terrorists including Kasab who caused mayhem in Mumbai and killed at least 166 persons arrived in the city by sea route on November 26, 2008.
Phansalkar, meanwhile, said a First Information Report (FIR) was being registered under Indian Penal Code section 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) at Worli Police Station regarding the threat messages. The crime branch is also sharing the information with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.
