India beefs up security in Mumbai and Goa

New Delhi: India increased security in major cities across the country yesterday after receiving information that the Lashkar-e-Taiba was planning an attack over the New Year weekend.

More police were deployed at city streets, airports and railway stations, including in India's financial capital, Mumbai, which was attacked in 2008.

Security was also tightened in Goa, a popular tourist destination, following intelligence reports that the banned militant group was planning to target these places, a Home Ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

Security has been high in Mumbai since Friday, when police began searching for four men who authorities believe entered the city to carry out a terrorist attack.

Computer-generated photographs of the four suspects have been released.

Yesterday, police made house-to-house searches in some parts of the city and tightened security checks at bus and train stations, churches and markets.

In March, Mumbai Police said they prevented a major terrorist strike after they arrested two Indian men who, they claimed, were preparing to hit several targets in the city.