NEW DELHI, Feb 21 — Authorities placed the national capital under a state of high alert on Saturday following specific intelligence that the Pakistan-based banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is planning terror attacks in the city. The threat is reportedly focused on religious landmarks, with a prominent temple in the Chandni Chowk area near the Red Fort identified as a primary target.
Intelligence sources stated that the outfit is seeking to “avenge” a February 6 suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad that killed 31 people. While Pakistan has implied external involvement in that blast, India has dismissed such claims. “India rejects any and every such allegation, which is as baseless as it is pointless,” the government stated earlier this month, noting that Pakistan should address its “home-grown ills” rather than blaming others.
Security has been significantly bolstered at heritage sites and places of worship. “Bomb disposal squads, dog squads and quick reaction teams have also been placed on standby at strategic locations,” officials told news agency PTI. To manage the risk, a DCP-rank officer and specialized commandos were recently stationed at the Gauri Shankar temple during festival celebrations.
The current threat specifically points toward the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). While initial inputs were monitored prior to Republic Day, the new data received on Saturday prompted the current emergency measures. This alert follows a deadly car explosion near the Red Fort metro station in November 2025, which claimed 10 lives and revealed an active terror module.
Police officials affirmed that central agencies and local units are working in close coordination to monitor vulnerable points through CCTV and vehicle checkpoints. Investigators noted that the city remains under constant watch, particularly as it hosted the AI Impact Summit this week.
