NEW DELHI — Intelligence agencies issued an alert Thursday for a possible terror attack on religious sites in central Delhi, with Lashkar-e-Taiba singling out a temple in the crowded Chandni Chowk market close to the Red Fort.

Sources in the intelligence community told reporters the Pakistan-based militant group has key religious places around the 17th-century Mughal fortress and parts of Chandni Chowk on its target list. They described plans for an IED detonation as part of a larger effort to avenge the February 6 explosion at a mosque in Islamabad that killed several people.

“Terrorists may target a temple in Chandni Chowk,” the sources said. “Lashkar-e-Taiba is plotting an IED attack near the Red Fort to hit back for the Islamabad mosque blast.”

Officials emphasized the threat extends beyond Delhi. Prominent temples across India could face similar strikes, according to the inputs. Security forces ramped up patrols and checks at major religious sites in the capital following the warning on February 21.

The alert revives fears in an area scarred by violence. On November 10, 2025, a car bomb detonated near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, killing 12 people and igniting fires in nearby vehicles packed with explosives. Investigators linked the blast to Islamist militants, though no group claimed responsibility at the time.

The National Investigation Agency continues to probe that incident. On February 13, a special NIA court at Patiala House Courts in Delhi granted a 45-day extension for the probe, falling short of the 90 days prosecutors requested. Seven suspects remain in judicial custody until March 13.

Delhi police have tightened security around the Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site that draws millions of tourists and locals each year. Barriers went up near entry points, and teams swept Chandni Chowk’s narrow lanes for suspicious activity. No arrests tied to the latest threat have been announced.

Lashkar-e-Taiba, founded in the late 1980s, has a history of targeting India. The group claimed the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people and frequently launches strikes in Kashmir. Indian officials accuse Pakistan of harboring LeT leaders despite Islamabad’s denials.

Authorities urged the public to report abandoned bags or vehicles. Temple committees in Chandni Chowk, home to historic Sikh and Hindu shrines amid busy bazaars, canceled evening gatherings as a precaution.

The timing heightens tensions ahead of festivals. Security analysts point to LeT’s pattern of exploiting religious fault lines. Past plots included foiled attempts on Delhi’s Lotus Temple and Akshardham shrine in Gujarat.

India’s home ministry has not commented publicly on the alert. But sources say multi-agency teams from the Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, and local police coordinate responses. Similar warnings surfaced last year before Diwali, leading to heightened vigilance nationwide.

For now, Delhi’s landmarks stand guarded. The Red Fort, symbol of India’s independence struggle, hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech hours before the 2025 blast nearby. Investigators still hunt leads in that case while bracing for new dangers.