Don't believe in rumours, stay alert, urge Mumbai cops

With the tension between India and Pakistan escalating on Wednesday Maharashtra has been put on high alert Apart from increasing deployment of security forces across all the sensitive areas of the state local police stations have been asked to keep their informer network active and even monitoring of the coastal line has been intensified The GRP and RPF have also intensified drives across railway stations Mentioning that there was nothing to worry about Mumbai Police asked citizens to remain alert and approach the cops if they spot anything suspiciousAll police stations have been sensitised Officers have been asked to take precautionary measures said DCP Manjunath Singe PRO Mumbai Police We have sounded high alert in the city but there is nothing to panicFamilies move out of Chhajla Patri village after shelling by the Pakistani Army near the LoC in Mankote sector of Poonch PicPTIOur police forces are monitoring everything said Singe adding that people shouldnt fall prey to rumours spread through social media If in doubt please reach out to the police control room or dial 100 for help Dont spread rumours or fall prey to them he added Another officer said A squad has been formed to carry out checks at railway stationsNavi Mumbai and Thane have also been put on high alert Cops are patrolling the railway stations across both the areas and even the bomb squad has been put on alert The Highway Police have also increased patrolling Acting on intelligence inputs deployment of security forces has been increased across tourist destinations along the Konkan region defence establishments and their headquartersJoint CP Pune Shivaji Bhodkhe said Security in the city has been increased Different units are working on various inputs and taking preventive measures We appeal to citizens not to fall prey to rumours Approach us to verify the informationQureshi might boycott OIC meet for SwarajPakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday threatened to boycott a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation OIC scheduled for this week in the UAE if Indias External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj participates in the event Swaraj has been invited as a guest of honour at the inaugural session of the OIC foreign ministers conclave in Abu Dhabi on March 1 and 2Security beefed up in Himachal PradeshHimachal Pradesh Chief Secretary B K Agarwal reviewed security here in wake of heightened tension between India and Pakistan and said the state had been put on high alert Police had been asked to monitor spreading of any rumour by antisocial elements he said Officials of various departments of the state and the central governments participated in the review meeting Agarwal saidJMB operatives arrested in BengalThe Special Task Force of the Kolkata Police arrested two operatives of terror outfit JamaatulMujahideen Bangladesh from West Bengals Murshidabad district and seized a huge cache of explosive making material from them an officer said here on Wednesday Police said the two accused were associates of JMB leader Kausar one of the key accused in Burdwans Khagragarh blast case of 2014Kashmir tourism faces uncertaintyTrips to the picturesque Kashmir Valley have become uncertain with tour operators witnessing cancellations of advance bookings while new bookings have dried up following the Pulwama terror attack Hoteliers and travel agents in the Valley however are optimistic about the tourist arrivals in the coming months despite escalating tension after the air strike by IAF on the biggest training camp of terrorist outfit JeM in Balakot in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinceIts blatant politicisation says OppositionAmid escalating IndiaPakistan tensions the Opposition collectively flayed the ruling BJP for blatant politicisation of the armed forces sacrifices and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not convening an allparty meeting A total of 21 Opposition parties met and expressed their concerns over the emerging security situation The parties in a joint statement said The 21 parties expressed their deep anguish over the blatant politicisation of the sacrifices made by our armed forces by leaders of the ruling party National security must transcend narrow political considerationsAlso ReadWar is futile says Pakistan after capturing IAF Wing Commander AbhinandanPak defaming indiaRajnath SinghUnion home ministerIn the air strike neither the Pakistani civilians were hurt nor the Pakistan Army was targeted Our Air Force soldiers carried out the strike with caution Despite this Pakistan has been trying to defame IndiaOmar AbdullahNational Conference leaderPM Modi must suspend his political activities until WingCommanderAbhinandan is returned safely It cant be business as usual with him crisscrossing the country at taxpayer expense making political speeches while our pilot is a Pakistani captiveRahul GandhiCongress presidentIm sorry to hear that one of our brave IAF pilots is missing I hope he will return home soon unharmed We stand by our armed forcesArvind KejriwalDelhi chief ministerI pray for the safety of the Indian Air Force pilotWhole country is proud of this brave son and everyone is hoping for his safe return We all stand united to keep our country safe and strongAlso ReadFormer IAF officer Pakistan will have to treat captured Wing Commander Abhinandan wellCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates