IB fears trouble by foreign terror elements, states on alert

New Delhi/Chennai, Sept. 4 (PTI): With the Intelligence Bureau cautioning that some foreign-based terrorist elements may foment trouble in the coming days, the Centre has alerted all states to keep a tight vigil, especially during the festivals, and monitor crowded places.

A Home Ministry official today said the state governments have been asked to tell their police force to keep a surveillance at religious places or places where there is a large crowd like at markets and shopping malls in view of tomorrow's Janmashthami and Ganesh Chaturthi festival later this month.

Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, is under a tight police cover for the festivities since lakhs of devotees are expected to converge in the temple town tomorrow.

Police Commissioner Nanjil Kumaran told reporters in Chennai that a general alert has come from the Centre's Intelligence Bureau(IB) not only to the Tamil Nadu capital but to all the states about "certain designs by certain terrorist elements based abroad trying to do some kind of an action that they can take up in India."

Kumaran said market places and crowded areas in Chennai are being closely watched.

He also said the City police does not have any specific information about an operative of the Bangladesh-based HuJI hiding in Chennai.

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