“The threat was received from a northeastern state following which civilian airports, listed as hyper-sensitive airports, were put on high alert. We have stepped up deployment around the runway and taxiways. Our quick reaction teams increased frequency of patrolling. Our men are patrolling the airport boundary so that intrusions can be stopped,” a press report quoted an official.

The present warning follows a similar alert earlier for western Indian region two days ago following which security was beefed up at all railway stations and airports. It was reported that terrorists might be regrouping for another attack following the retaliatory strike on terrorist training camps in Balakot by Indian Air Force fighters. Western Railway had stepped up security across its network in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh following the input.

Inputs had specially identified trains, stations, airports, temples and the Statue of Unity as likely terrorist targets, and that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) elements were making plans in neighbouring towns.

Accordingly, Western Railway RPF had a co-ordination meeting with Mumbai GRP officers on February 27 and with the GRP Commissioner on February 28 to discuss the terror threat. Baggage checking was intensified.

On February 14, 40 CRPF jawans were killed when their convoy moving from Jammu to Srinagar was attacked in Pulwama for which responsibility was claimed by Jaish- e-Mohammed led by most wanted international terrorist Masood Azhar. The Indian Air Force subsequently bombed terrorist training camps in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, run by Masood Azhar's brother-in-law Maulana Yusuf Azhar, last Tuesday. It had a firing range, dormitories etc. Thereafter, the next day Pak air force intruded Indian air space but their attempt to bomb Indian military installations was foiled.