Goa Police fear terror strike, sound red alert

Panaji: Goa Police on Monday sounded red alert in the state apprehending the possibility of a terror strike.

Inspector General of Police Kishan Kumar in a message to all the police stations has asked to tighten the security in their respective jurisdictions.

"The Red Alert is sounded as we do not want to take any chance and we are undertaking intense checking of all the vehicles," Samy Tavares, special officer attached with the Director General of Police, said.

Goa was considered on the terror radar after Kerala Police had tipped off about a northern bound train carrying explosives with the aim to strike Goa.

The state police had beefed up security around all the railway stations and Marusagar Express, which reportedly carried the explosives, was checked at Margao railway station on Monday morning.

The train had arrived from Ernakulum (Kerala) and was leaving towards Jaipur (Rajasthan).

Inspector General of Police on Monday afternoon sounded red alert activating the police machinery in the state.

All the vehicles, especially leading towards the coastal belt of the state , are being thoroughly checked. The security has also been beefed up in the crowded areas, mostly frequented by the tourists.

The Goa Home Ministry also said the red alert has been sounded in the state to check the preparedness of state police to counter terrorist activities.

"We have sounded red alert to check the preparedness. There is no specific information about Goa being on the terror radar," state Home Minister Ravi Naik clarified in Panaji.

The minister, who briefed the press accompanied by Director General of Police BS Brar, said that the police machinery has been activated as 'state is not ready to take any chance'.

Naik rubbished the media reports that Delhi terror suspects had confessed about their plan to strike Goa.

"We had approached the Delhi Police and we have no such information about their confessions. It is just a media report," Naik said.

Goa's DGP Brar said that the state faces no security threat and red alert exercises are being conducted because several places in the country were targetted by terrorists.

"These checking and exercises will continue till new year," Brar said.

Talking about the Marusagar Express train which was checked at Margao railway station today, the DGP said that the information available from Kerala counterpart was a false alarm.

"Usually states share the information on such vital issues. This was a similar information. We checked the train but nothing was found," he said adding that the random checking of all the trains would continue.

IGP Kumar had issued red alert in the state prompting the interception and checking of vehicles across the state.

The security around the crowded places and coastline was also tightened during the day.