Mumbai: The Indian Air Force, Navy, and police in Mumbai were put on high alert after two schoolchildren from the coastal town of Uran, 50 km away from Mumbai, claimed on Thursday early morning to have seen five armed men. The girl student studies in Class Xth and the boy student studies in Class IX.
According to the two students of Uran Education Society – the men wore black masks and pathani suits of black colour. The men moved around the Uran bus depot in a suspicious manner.
The alert, which comes four days after the Uri attack which left 18 soldiers dead, has led to elite forces like the state police’s specialised commandos Force One, ATS, and the National Security Guard being roped in for the search and security.
The Navy deployed its helicopters for aerial surveillance and heightened patrolling in the sea by its vessels and high-speed boats.
Mumbai Police Commissioner – Hemant Nagrale said that Several senior police officers and other security agency officials questioned the two school students. Hemant added that Currently, we are at the Uran police station speaking to the kids. Our teams are scouting the entire area.
When the girl student saw four to five armed men near the Uran Bus Depot, She was on her way to school around 6.30 am. Then around 6.45 am, another boy who was at home getting ready to go to school also claimed to have seen a group of armed men.
Sea and Air patrol on in full swing:
A senior officer from Navi Mumbai said that the children told their teacher in school about it. The school authorities informed the Uran police station immediately, who alerted senior officers from the Navi Mumbai police about the sightings.
Maharashtra Director General of Police – Satish Mathur confirmed about the incident and said that they had alerted the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy as well. We have increased patrolling across the city and put the city on high alert.
The Navy put its helicopters to conduct aerial surveillance and increased sea patrolling by using its vessels and high-speed boats. As per the sources that 50 members from the elite commando team Force One had reached Uran town. Searches and scouting as per procedure have been initiated.
