Security enhanced for Israeli tourists in Rajasthan's Pushkar

Apart from Pushkar police, IB is also keeping an eye on the security of Israeli tourists. The tourists have been asked to go in groups if they venture out at night and return to their hotels within 10 pm.

Ajmer:In view of the bomb blast that took place near the Israeli Embassy in Delhi, security has been enhanced at the Bed Chabad community centre of Jews in Pushkar. Hotels, guest houses and resort operators of Pushkar have asked the foreign tourists to return by 10 pm.

Patrolling in Bed Chabad, where most of the Israeli tourists stay, has been increased by Pushkar police. The intelligence agencies are also supervising the security.

According to police sources, the Israeli Embassy and the religious sites of Jews in the country had been made the target by radical forces in the past. During the 26/11 attacks, Nariman House in Mumbai had been attacked. Similarly, Bed Chabad had also been targeted in earlier occasions.

Before the Mumbai attacks, Coleman Headley, a member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit, had conducted a recce. After his arrest, it was revealed that Headley stayed in Pushkar while doing the recce. Since then, special arrangements have been made at the Israeli religious sites of Pushkar.

Currently, Pushkar has been wrapped in a tight security cover. It is one of the biggest pilgrim sites of the Hindus and is visited by Israeli tourists for a long time. At Pushkar, Israelis prefer staying in Bed Chabad. After the war between Palestine and Israel, there are only 10 to 15 Israeli tourists in Pushkar while previously, there were about 500 Israeli tourists.

Rakesh Yadav, in-charge of Pushkar police station, said that along with Bed Chabad, all hotels in the nearby areas are being regularly checked. The SP, Additional SP and senior officers are maintaining a constant vigil here. Also, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials are keeping an eye on suspicious people entering and leaving the place.

Police have instructed Israeli tourists to go out in groups if they venture out at night. They have been specifically asked not to go out alone at night. Also, all tourists have been asked to return to their hotels within 10 pm, Yadav said. If a tourist does not return to his/her hotel by 10 pm, the hotel operator will have to call the person over phone and inquire about the delay.

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