A high alert was sounded in the state of Gujarat and officials geared at maintaining tight security, including on vessels lying at Kandla port, following intelligence inputs warning Pakistani commandos trained in underwater attacks entering the Kutch Gulf area. In a message, the Port Trust officials said the Pakistan-trained commandos are believed to have entered the Kutch Gulf through the Nala Creek Area of Harami. "Therefore, it is directed to take the utmost security measures and to prevent any untoward situation in the state of Gujarat, all ships at DPT (Deendayal Port Trust) to take the utmost security measures and to keep anti-terrorism watch and be alert." "It also directed Van Oord, a Netherlands-based company with a agreement to preserve the port of Kandla, to warn all dredgers and support ships on the channel and to ' keep sharp watch and report any suspect activity ' to port control.
The alert arises in the aftermath of increased tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir following the repeal of Article 370 of the Constitution by New Delhi, which Islamabad called an "annexation" act.
