Mumbai: Security tightened at BARC

In the wake of reports of terrorist outfit Laskhkar-e-Tayiba planning to attack nuclear installations, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Dr D K Sankaran would review security arrangements at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai at a high-level meeting on Wednesday.

"BARC security has already been beefed up with maximum alertness following a tip-off by the Central government about a possible suicide attack on BARC by the Pakistan based LeT," Chief Security officer of Department of Atomic Energy, N C Gop told PTI on Tuesday.

Sankaran has called for a high level meeting of senior officials from BARC, DAE, Mumbai police and intelligence officials from the Centre at Mantralaya tomorrow, Gop said. Security at BARC was stepped up since 1993 after serial bomb blasts in the city and further tightened after May 2000 when it was declared as a strategic laboratory.

Since June 1 2006, Central Industrial Security Force has replaced the State Reserve Police Force, which was manning the periphery of BARC.

Inside BARC also, CISF has been deployed from June 1 to assist in the internal security as they are well trained in combating terrorist attacks, Gop said. CISF commandos have been widely posted at all the watchtowers in BARC, and private vehicles are not allowed inside the administrative buildings of BARC and NPCIL, Gop said.

Other nuclear installations under DAE, including nuclear power plants, Uranium Corportion of India Ltd, Electronic Corporation of India Ltd are always manned by CISF. Meanwhile, CISF personnel have been deployed at BARC's Tarapur unit from June 1, he said.

Meanwhile, Shankaran told PTI, "We will review the general security situation in Maharashtra tomorrow and BARC will be on top of the agenda."