Mumbai on high alert, sea vigilance increased after Pahalgam terror attack

Indian Army personnel at the site of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. (PTI photo)

Following the Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead, Maharashtra Home Department has instructed the Mumbai Police to increase vigilance at sea. Mumbai has also been put on high alert, with security tightened at public spaces.

“Agencies are on alert in Mumbai and surrounding coastal areas after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The Maharashtra Home Department has instructed the Mumbai Police to increase vigilance at sea. An alert has been issued on the seashores around Mumbai and Mumbai's adjoining areas, and vigilance has been asked to be increased,” Mumbai Police told ANI.

Security checks at ports, jetties, and waterfronts have been intensified, with additional deployment of patrol units and surveillance systems.

According to Mumbai police commissionerx, Vivek Phansalkar has issued an advisory ordering police forces to conduct night rounds around the city at regular intervals, while senior officers, especially, have been asked to work round the clock.

India has suspended all the visas issued to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect, in accordance with the decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) a day earlier.

As per the notification released by the Ministry of External Affairs, all the existing valid visas issued to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from 27 April. Additionally, the medical visas would be valid till April 29.

Terrorists opened fire in Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon, killing 26 people, mostly tourists, in what is the deadliest attack in the valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. The dead included two foreigners and as many locals.

The security alert has also extended beyond metro cities. In Rajasthan, the Jaipur Police issued a statewide alert and increased patrolling at major public places. Security was visibly stepped up at Jaipur Junction, Amer Fort and other tourist hotspots.

Punjab Police also reinforced deployment in Amritsar, particularly around the Golden Temple and Indo-Pak border areas, anticipating heightened sensitivities. Uttar Pradesh Police were also directed to step up security in religious towns and crowded areas.

(With PTI inputs)