India issues terror alert in western state of Gujarat

NEW DELHI -- Indian authorities Sunday issued a terror alert in Gujarat in the wake of intelligence inputs that 10 suspected Pakistani militants may have entered the western state to carry out a big strike.

"A terror alert has been issued in Gujarat. Security has been beefed up in bus stands and railway stations across the state and other vital installations," sources said.

"Security forces have launched a major combing operation to track down the militants who may have entered Gujarat through searoute from Pakistan. A team of elite National Security Guard commandoes has also reached the state to avert any kind of any Mumbai-style terror attack," they added.

The terror alert was issued after a Pakistani boat was seized by the Indian border guards in the Koteshwar creek area off the Kutch coast in Gujarat along the India-Pakistan border. However, all the occupants of the boat managed to flee.

In November 2008, 10 Pakistani militants entered Mumbai through a sea route and carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days. At least 170 people were killed and over 300 others injured in the massacre.