Himachal: Security beefed up in Shimla after intel inputs on terror attack

In the wake of threat perception from a Pakistan-based militant group, security has been beefed up on The Ridge and Mall Road in Shimla.

Scores of tourists and locals had gathered on The Ridge on Friday night to celebrate the New Year, but just as the celebrations began, cops arrived along with sniffer dogs.

The police teams carried out an anti-sabotage check in every nook and corner of The Ridge ground, resulting in panic among the revellers.

The teams placed metal detectors on the entry and exit routes and frisked the visitors. Police vans fitted with public address systems repeatedly asked the people to return to houses, hotels and guest houses, saying that gathering could lead to the spread of omicron.

As per the information provided by police officials, a Pakistan-based terror outfit had threatened to blow up the water storage tank below The Ridge. The tank was built in 1880 to meet the water requirement of Shimla town.

The local police also took assistance from the army, which deployed its anti-sabotage teams in the town. Security has also been beefed up at the Army Training Command close to the Mall Road which was set up in 1991.

The water tank is cleaned regularly, but a major portion of the tank has developed cracks. The police teams throughout the day conducted checks in the town as well as the key establishments, including the Himachal Pradesh secretariat.

Security was scaled up at chief minister Jai Ram Thakur’s official residence as well, besides the Viceroy Regal Lodge.

“There were specific inputs about The Ridge and the information was shared by Punjab intelligence. Inputs came late in the evening, so we had no option but to act promptly and get the area vacated,” said HP director general of police Sanjay Kundu. “There are a lot of tourists in the town. The security will remain tightened,” he added.

HP chief secretary Ram Subhag Singh spoke to his Punjab counterpart besides officials of the home department to gather more inputs on the threat.

However, there was a mixed reaction to police action among the business community. “It was an action taken timely as there was a huge rush and the safety of humans comes first,” said a trader on the Mall Road, Karan Nanda.

State Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore, meanwhile, castigated the police action. “The way people were asked to leave The Ridge and the Mall Road was inappropriate. It led to panic and scare among them,” he added.

Security will remain heightened: CM

Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said the security will continue to remain tightened in the state following the inputs from intelligence agencies.

He said that the state had received inputs on Friday evening and soon after, forces were in action and police were deployed in Shimla.

He said he had held a meeting with officials and other security agencies. He also thanked the Indian Army for deploying a special bomb disposal squad from Chandigarh.

“We have kept all places on alert, especially Shimla. This input was for The Ridge and the Mall Road. We are allowing tourists and locals to move and are not stopping anyone, but the forces have been deployed. We got input late and we were able to evacuate the people as soon as it was possible. We vacated The Ridge and Mall Road, requesting people to move citing Covid-19 protocol. We will have to be alert in future as there are some kind of elements who want to destabilise peace. We took it seriously as it was needed,” said the chief minister.