This Republic Day is the most dangerous it has been in a long while!

In the last few days, TV channels and newspaper headlines have been screaming out not-so-pleasant headlines of IS men arrests, murders, suspicious activities, intelligence warnings of threat and tightened security across several cities. All of this is not without a reason. In fact, it would be correct to say that India is reeling under greater terror threat than any time in the past as R-Day approaches. Flurry of intelligence reports have been warning us of possible terror attacks in the country for the past few days. Two men on the radar are Mr Modi and Mr Francois Hollande, the Chief Guest of our R-Day celebrations. Of course, India’s warming up to the French President in the aftermath of Paris attacks has not gone down very well with IS terrorists, who are now on the prowl waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

So, we are doubly under threats this time around– from Pak-based terrorists and ISIS. In the wake of nationwide alert to stay aware and safe, here’s why stepping out of your homes this Republic Day would not be a good idea at all:

SEVERAL ISIS SYMPATHISERS ARRESTED

Nearly twenty people with suspected Islamic State links were nabbed from across the country in just a single day on Friday. This was the biggest crackdown on ISIS sympathizers in India. Six men, including a chemical engineering dropout, detained by the National Investigation Agency in Karnataka is suspected to have links with the Islamic State. According to reports, the raids were carried out after Indian intelligence agencies received tip-off from the CIA. Cops recently arrested four more men in Uttarakhand last Wednesday on suspicion of planning an attack in Delhi. Security officials said the four had been under surveillance for several months after their online activities drew suspicion, including contacts with people in territory in Iraq and Syria controlled by the Islamic State group. Police said the men had also been planning strikes in Haridwar, where thousands of devotees are now gathered for the Ardh Kumbh festival.

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES

In Panaji, Goa Police have stepped up security in the state and were investigating a postcard received by the State Secretariat and warning to harm Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. In Mumbai, the police are yet to trace six mysterious paragliders who were seen near the city’s coast on January 13. Authorities said they have taken the incident seriously because of a 2010 intelligence report that the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba had procured 50 paragliders from Europe and was conducting a training in Pakistan to launch an aerial attack. Authorities in Madhya Pradesh are on alert after a suspected terrorist named Syed Ahmed escaped from police custody by jumping off a running train on Wednesday night at Hoshangabad, about 70 km south east of Bhopal.

ENEMY’S FRIEND IS ALSO AN ENEMY

French President Francois Hollande is the Chief Guest of the republic day celebrations at a time when France is engaged in an air-strike against ISIS following the Paris terror attacks. Extra paramilitary forces were deployed in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, where the French consulate received a letter warning against its president’s presence at India’s Republic Day celebrations. Police are investigating the source of the letter which said Francoise Hollande should cancel his trip to India beginning Sunday. Bangalore’s additional commissioner of police, Chengal Reddy, told reporters that the letter--written in poor English and mentioning al Qaeda--has still not been ruled out as a hoax.

CARJACKING FOR TERROR PURPOSES

Delhi Police on Friday issued an alert after the driver of a taxi hired by three unidentified persons from Pathankot was found dead in Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh, in the aftermath of the airbase attack. The taxi driver, identified as Vijay Kumar, a resident of Gaggal village in Kangra district, was found dead on Wednesday at the Kalta bridge in Kangra and his taxi missing, police said. In a similar incident, on Tuesday night an SUV belonging to a top ITBP official had gone missing from his residence in Noida. These activities are suspected to have been done by terror outfits like ISIS who are notorious for car-bomb attacks in Iraq and Syria could use them as potential weapons to target to carry out blasts in crowded places.

POSSIBILITY OF LONE WOLF ATTACK

Mohammad Sirazudin, an executive of the Indian Oil Corporation, who was arrested in Jaipur in December 2015 for allegedly spreading ISIS activities online and trying to recruit Indian youths in the Middle-East terrorist group, was allegedly on the verge of turning into a ‘lone wolf’. With increased activities of ISIS supporters online, the government has taken the threat of this dreaded terror group seriously and asked states to remain alert against the possibility of ‘lone wolf attack’ in the country. The threat of ISIS was discussed threadbare at a meeting of top officials of central intelligence and investigative agencies and police of 13 states on Saturday which was chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.