New Delhi: Police have been put on high alert across the country and security has been increased at all public places, including railway stations, places of worship and critical installations, following the blasts in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Security at all metro stations in New Delhi was heightened on Tuesday evening. "Security at all the metro stations in Delhi was beefed up around 7p.m.," Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.

While drivers of the metro trains have been asked to be extra cautious, security staff have been instructed to be more vigilant in conducting frisking and search operations at stations, Mr. Dayal said. He said additional policemen in plain clothes had been deployed at the stations.

The Central Industrial Security Force is being used to pad up security. Mr. Dayal said the DMRC's central security service, which takes care of security at the stations in case of an emergency, had been activated.

On the alert

The Punjab Police sounded a red alert and intensified security in all 19 districts. DGP S.S. Virk has instructed senior officials to intensify security arrangements at religious places, railway stations, bus stands and other public places, a spokesman said in Chandigarh. The police set up check points at various places, especially those bordering Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

All police stations have been put on high alert in Nagpur and have been asked to intensify patrolling. All checkposts across Gujarat had been alerted and patrolling intensified at all public places, religious places and critical installations, senior police officials in Ahmedabad said. Railway Police have been asked to conduct thorough checks at all stations.

A high alert was declared across Madhya Pradesh. "We have stepped up security at all vital installations following the bomb blasts in Mumbai," Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Santosh Kumar Raut said.

Security was tightened at airports, railway stations, bus stands, industrial units, market places, shopping complexes and other public places, he said.

All police officials have been asked to maintain vigil, especially in the areas bordering Maharashtra, Mr. Raut said. Vehicles entering in the State are also being checked thoroughly.

In the absence of any specific intelligence, an alert has been sounded in all the areas falling within the jurisdiction of the Pune police, Police Commissioner D.N. Jadhav said. Barricades were being put at all entry and exits points to Pune.

Theatre managements had been alerted and hotels were being checked, which was a usual precautionary practice, he said.

Goa police said adequate steps were being taken to avoid untoward incidents and asked the people to remain calm. "We have increased patrolling at railway stations, bus stands, and other crowded places," D.K. Sawant, Superintendent of Police (North), said in Panaji.

All the district police chiefs in Uttar Pradesh have been asked to maintain strict vigil on railway stations, bus stations and religious places, sources said in Lucknow. Reports from Varanasi said large numbers of police personnel had been deployed in all sensitive areas.

Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has condoled the death of innocent people in the blasts and asked the Centre to ensure that culprits are brought to book.

Airports security tightened

Security at all airports across the country was beefed up on Tuesday night.

Quick reaction teams of paramilitary forces have been deployed at major airports, especially in Mumbai, Delhi and other metros, official sources said in New Delhi. The number of CISF personnel on duty at major airports has also been increased, they said.

The sources said the personnel on duty have been asked to take all precautions and conduct security checks at the airports. Flight operations would not be affected by the heightened security measures. — UNI, PTI

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