Panaji, February 7
Goa may have escaped a major terror attack with a suspected militant revealing plots to strike at the tourist state, targeting the crowded Calangute-Baga beach and a discotheque in the north.

The sinister plan, the police said, could not be executed because the militant said he failed to get 50 kg of RDX from Pakistan amid reports the attack was timed for the Christmas-New Year festivities a few weeks back.

Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat said an alert had been sounded in the coastal state and the police had intensified checks to look for possible terror links in the holiday hot spot, which attracts 15 lakh tourists each year.

The terror plot came to light following the arrest of a suspected militant in Karnataka who had confessed about his plans to strike in Karnataka and Goa.

“We have sounded an alert all over the state and security has been strengthened,” the Chief Minister told PTI.

Kamat said he had held a meeting with the top police brass along with home minister Ravi Naik, adding that “at no cost the security of the people would be compromised”.

Ravi Naik said, according to information available with the government, some militants had visited Goa thrice just to survey the coastal areas and crowded places.

The state government had asked for the complete details of the case and further comments could be made only after they were obtained, Naik said.

However, police sources confirmed that the militants had the famous North Goa’s Calangute-Baga beach belt on their radar.

The sources also confirmed that a famous discotheque in the coast was also on the target of the militants. — PTI