Goa ATS keeping tabs on Kashmiris: CM

Goa Police is monitoring the movement of Kashmiris as well as refugees from the IS-affected regions, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said on Friday.

Parsekar also said that intelligence inputs indicated that Goa was an "important target for terrorism" and social media was being tracked for radicalisation and potential lone wolf attackers.

The anti-terrorism squad (ATS) "is keeping track on migrants, tenants, servants, individuals of Jammu and Kashmir throughout the state of Goa who may try to penetrate into the state with ulterior motives and disrupt the internal security of the state", Parsekar told the assembly.

"ATS is tracking down foreigners overstaying in Goa, especially those nationals from ... the conflict zone of IS-led terror," he added.

Parsekar said a ban on drones and paragliding had also been ordered after it was revealed that an Indian Mujahideen suspect had trained in the latter.

"ATS has managed to bring a ban on flying of drones and paragliding in Goa to thwart any covert activities from anti-social elements," Parsekar said.

"Keeping in mind the present security scenario globally, ATS Goa is gearing up in all possible ways to tackle and face all eventualities in the state," Parsekar said.

"ATS technical wing is monitoring online activities on social media to tackle any type of radicalisation efforts, to influence youth to carry out lone wolf attacks and other subversive activities," he said.

Goa is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the world, which is popular with European tourists.

--IANS

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