A routine exercise by the Pakistan Navy off Western Coast triggered a flurry of activities in India with defence intelligence agencies sounding an alert about a Mumbai-type terror strike in the country in four cities of the country.

According to sources in the Home Ministry, Naval intelligence first claimed to have picked up some intercept suggesting that a Mumbai-type terror strike could be carried out in four cities including Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The alert was transmitted to other agencies and reported in the media.

However, when coordinates of the intercept were sought by the Home Ministry, the Defence agencies responded that their input was based on a general alert issued in a routine manner asking the Navy and Coast Guard to be on guard following exercise by the Pakistan Navy in the North of Arabian Sea.

The six-week long exercises began on October 12.

Pakistan Marines, Special Services Group, Ships, submarines and aircraft are taking part in the exercises.

An alert had been issued to the Navy and Coast Guard o remain vigilant as some of the terror groups may try to infiltrate into the Indian seas.

This episode comes in the backdrop of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's categorical assertions in his orders to intelligence agencies, including those from the Defence services and para-military forces, that all information about threats should be verified properly before sharing it with other agencies, a Home Ministry official said.

The alert from the Naval intelligence stated that Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists may carry out another attack at Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Kolkata.

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