Security beefed up in Paradip Port following Indo-Pak tension

Security tightened in Paradip Port following escalation of tension between India and Pakistan.

Paradip (Odisha): Security was stepped up at the sensitive Paradip Port on Wednesday following escalation of tension between India and Pakistan, officials said.

"We are keeping a constant vigil on the crew members of ships landing at the port here. The crew members who want to go outside the port area are being throughly checked," said immigration officer at the port, Manas Ranjan Das. Das said the crew members normally go out of the port area when ships are anchored here.

With at least four new ships arriving at Paradip Port every day, the authorities have instructed that constant vigil be maintained towards movement of outsiders, he said. The Indian Coast Guard has also intensified patrolling in the coast as well as in the deep sea since Tuesday as there is a possibility of entry of terrorists through sea route, a senior official said.

Odisha has a 480 km long sea coast looked after the Coast Guard based in Paradip. "The state government has cancelled leave of all the personnel working in different Marine Police Stations along the Odisha coast," the official said. The authorities are extra vigilant keeping in mind that Pakistan based terrorists entered Mumbai via sea route in 2008 and unleashed terror attacks there.