Former Pak soldier, 6 terrorists planning attacks in Delhi on Holi; police on high alert

Delhi, Punjab and Assam police were today alerted by security agencies about an ex-Pakistani soldier having crossed over to India along with six hardcore terrorists through the Indo-Pak border in Pathankot with a plan to carry out attacks on hotels and hospitals in Delhi during Holi.

In a communication, the central security agencies said Mohammad Khurshid Alam alias Jahangir, an ex-military personnel of Pakistan Army, who had worked as a recruiter, coordinator and guide of Jehadi elements in Assam, had crossed over to India from Pakistan through the Indo-Pak border in Pathankot on February 26 along with six hardcore terrorists.

“The intention of this group is to kill citizens in Delhi in hotels and hospitals on or before Holi,” the communication said.

The agencies said Alam had visited a madrasa in Barpeta district in Assam in September 2015.

The ex-Pakistan armyman had stayed in the madrasa for five days and thereafter left for Chirang district, bordering Bhutan.

Alam had used another madrasa in Dhubri district in Assam as his base and used to visit other parts of the state, it said.

In Dhubri, a teacher of the madrasa provided all required logistical support to Alam, the communication added.

The Hindustan Times reports that intelligence inputs generated across the country are shared on the multi-agency centre (MAC) platform, a practice adopted after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and strengthened over the years so that no information slips through the gap.