Security agencies are closely monitoring developments in the wake of killing of Osama bin Laden with Union Home Ministry issuing a country-wide alert to ensure safety of United States nationals and enhanced security at American and Jewish installations in particular.
Home Ministry has asked all states to tighten vigil particularly in places wherever there are American or Jewish installations while Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has directed stepped up security across all airports, officials said.
In its advisory, the Home Ministry asked authorities in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata to beef up security around the US consulates and foil any attempt by anyone to disturb peace there in the aftermath of the killing of the Al Qaeda mastermind.
While a tight vigil was being maintained in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Hyderabad, Maharashtra and Kerala, official sources said the states have been conveyed to take stock of the security situation for foreign tourists especially Americans.
In Kashmir, as the news of the killing of bin Laden speared, police were seen accounting for number of US tourists and ensuring proper security to them. However, the state police had not sounded any alarm for the tourists other than asking them to remain in touch with state authorities, the sources said.
Security presence at American Embassy here and its Consulates in other parts of the country was heavily enhanced as a precautionary measure. Civil Aviation Ministry officials said that security measures have been stepped up across all airports in the country.
At all entry points to the airport, the security will be enhanced, passengers would be thoroughly checked and ladder-point checking would also be introduced in certain places, sources said.
The Karnataka government has directed the state police to be on high alert and take steps to maintain law and order. The Centre has sounded a nationwide alert after bin Laden's death and the state had taken all precautionary measures, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told reporters in Bengaluru.
A general alert has been sounded and security has been tightened across the Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai, to pre-empt any possible "retaliation" by terror outfits following the killing of Al Qaeda mastermind, police said.
In Mumbai, checking by police, particularly in suburban railway network used by millions of citizens daily, are being carried out and barricades have been set up, police said.
Vehicles are being checked randomly whereas railway police is scanning the luggage of passengers. Policemen deployed around various consulates, particularly of US, and at various vital installations have been ordered to be on vigil, a senior Indian Police Service official, adding, "Gun-toting cops with advanced police vehicles are patrolling the city."
West Bengal government has alerted the administrations f the border districts and the Border Security Force. "The border districts administrations have been alerted. BSF has also been asked to remain on alert," Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh told mediapersons.
He said police in plainclothes have been asked to keep a strict vigil in the city.
