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Kerala on high alert following intel inputs

February 15, 2010 20:12 IST

Kerala is on high alert following a tip off from the intelligence agencies following the blast in Pune, which had killed nine persons and injured 60 others on Saturday.

The state police confirmed to rediff.com that there has indeed been inputs from central agencies on a possible attack on some vital installations in Kerala. This, according to agencies, is following the arrest and the subsequent interrogation of the south Indian commander of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba Thadiyantavida Naseer and his associates.

Sources in the central agencies told rediff.com that the state police has been warned of the possible attacks through costal areas at Kochi, the commercial hub of the state which houses the Indian Navy's Southern Naval Command, the Vallarpadom container terminal and the Cochin Port Prust and shipyard.

Sources also indicated that the police have already rounded up some suspected activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India who were suspected to have links with some extremist organisations and who are now active in the guise of NGOs.

The police also suspecting that terror organisations may be joining hands of the extreme left organisations. The left has certain influence in pockets of Ernakulam and Kochi.

Central intelligence has warned on the ties between these extreme groups and the Islamist organisations for the mutual benefit of each other.

The state police has already swung into action and is maintaining a strict patrol throughout the national highways to prevent any suspects getting into the state.

Arun Lakshman in Thiruvananthapuram