High alert in Pathankot after suspects sighted

Security personnel were on high alert in Pathankot and adjoining areas following inputs about suspicious movement of three men near Pathankot air force base, an official said on Thursday.

Punjab police sounded an alert when locals last night informed the authorities about the movement of the three suspected persons near the air force base, he said.

A search operation was launched last night which continued till today, the official said.

Security was tightened near the Pathankot air force base and close vigil was kept, they said, adding that a search operation was also conducted near the ITI building where the suspects were spotted by the locals.

"We are following our standard operational procedure following the inputs about suspicious movement," said IG (Border Range) SPS Parmar. The police also claimed to have found crucial CCTV footage.

On April 16, a local villager claimed to have given a lift to two suspected persons following which a massive search operation was launched.

Dinanagar in Gurdaspur and the Air Force base in Pathankot were attacked by terrorists in July 2015 and January 2016, respectively.