New Delhi:
Amid reports that terrorists may try to attack soft targets in India, including schools, ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said, "We are well prepared."
Five terrorists were killed today in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian after a 10-hour operation by the army and the police, who had been tipped off about the presence of heavily armed militants in dense forests.
"There are terrorists who may try to do something before the Obama visit to create news but we are well prepared for it," Mr Parrikar said, referring to the operation in Kashmir.
A top army commander had earlier said that 200 militants are waiting to cross over to India and strikes are being planned in terror "war rooms" in Pakistan led by the ISI.
"The structure of the war rooms is that they are led by the ISI and have representatives of local commanders of the army and the terrorist groups and then they decide which operations to conduct, when and where to conduct - there are inputs that militants can hit soft targets like schools," said Lt General KH Singh, a senior army officer posted in Jammu and Kashmir.
"There is every possibility that Pakistan will try to divert some of the fringe elements of home-grown terrorist outfits to India," he added.
Intelligence agencies had warned last month that the terror group Lashkar-e Taiba might plan an attack in India to coincide with President Obama's visit and a security alert has been issued.
President Obama will arrive in India on January 25 for a three-day visit, sources have told NDTV. He will be accompanied by his wife Michelle.
A final security and protocol meeting on the president's visit will be held tomorrow.
President Obama had in November accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations. The Obamas also plan to see the Taj Mahal in Agra before returning to the US.