Security tightened in Delhi amid intel of terrorist attacks

Security tightened at Delhi's religious sites after intelligence warned of planned IED attacks by Lashkar-e-Taiba, amid high-alert for the AI Impact Summit.

New Delhi: Security was tightened at key religious and heritage sites in the Capital following at least two intelligence inputs of planned improvised explosive device (IED) attacks by terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) across major Indian cities, police officials privy to the matter said.

Security personnel deployed near temples in New Delhi on Saturday (Hindustan Times)

Although the inputs were received in January and early February, Delhi remains on high-alert due to the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, which drew heads of at least 22 countries, they added.

At least two senior Delhi Police officers, while requesting anonymity, told HT that the first set of intel about the attacks in Delhi, especially at religious places, was received before the Republic Day celebrations.

Accordingly, a high-alert was sounded and security arrangements in and around religious establishments were tightened. A meeting of Delhi Police’s Special Cell was held to plan the security apparatus and other anti-terror measures to tackle any possible attack, the officers said.

They added that similar inputs were received after the February 6 suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan’s Islamabad, that claimed at least 30 lives and left dozens injured.

The intelligence inputs hinted at an IED attack at a temple in Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, the officers said.

Since Mahashivratri was around the corner, Special Cell officers held another meeting and intensified security arrangements at religious structures across the city, particularly Lord Shiva temples and places where Mahashivratri celebrations were organised, the officers said.

A DCP-rank officer, along with commandos and Special Cell officials, remained deployed in and around Chandni Chowk’s Gauri Shankar temple on February 15 as part of security measures.

“Although both the inputs were declared inconsequential later, security arrangements across the city remain heightened,” one of the officers said.

As part of the anti-terror measures, central agencies and Delhi Police units are maintaining close coordination, CCTV surveillance, vehicle inspections, and deployment of additional personnel at vulnerable points. Bomb disposal squads, dog squads and quick reaction teams have also been placed on standby at strategic locations, the second officer said.

Meanwhile, intelligence reports of planned attacks on Delhi religious sites sparked a political row between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor urged citizens to not panic and asserted that the Delhi Police was fully alert. “There is no need for anyone to panic over the reported threats. Managers and priests of all small and large temples should simply exercise a little extra caution and vigilance,” Kapoor said.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav, however, alleged that the inputs “expose the weak security arrangements by the BJP government at the Centre.”

On November 10, 2025, a suicide car bombing near the Red Fort claimed at least 15 lives and left several others injured.