Just inside one of the pink stone gates leading into the walled city of Jaipur, Officer Amar Singh scans passing vehicles for out-of-state licence plates, his old-fashioned bolt-action rifle a warning to travellers deemed suspicious. Nearby, a new public address system exhorts street hawkers and shoppers to notify the authorities of any unattended packages.

Jaipur, the jewel of India’s popular tourist state of Rajasthan, has been in a state of heightened vigilance since May when eight bombs exploded in front of Hindu temples, scenic spots and police posts, killing 69 and injuring more than 250. The attack was claimed by a little-known group calling itself Indian Mujahideen, which was also behind a series of 16 bombs that killed at least 45 people in Ahmedabad last month.