After Pathankot, suspected terrorists may target Army Cantonment in Gurdaspur; major offensive being planned

Gurdaspur: Even as the security forces have killed six militants who have attacked the Air Force Base in Pathankot, there are concerns about two more suspected Pakistan-trained terrorists trying to target a key military facility here.

As per a report carried by the Hindustan Times, the security forces are preparing for an offensive in view of reports that two suspected militants in army fatigues were hiding in the sugercane fields nearby.

 

The two suspected militants were spotted moving suspiciously near the Army Cantonment in Gurdaspur district by the locals residents, who then informed the police and the military.

The security forces, which do not want to take any chances, has deployed an Israel-trained SWAT team to flush out those militants.

While the entire area is being monitored through aerial surveillance, the troop movement is also on.

 

Reacting to the report, Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (Border Range) Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh was quoted as saying, “We are not taking any chances. We are not ruling out anything.”

“A drone helped locate their location and by Thursday afternoon, the army and police teams took position,” a police source was also reported as saying.

As per reports, soldiers, backed by armoured vehicles and mortar guns, have concealed themselves on rooftops, behind trees and at a brick kiln to flush out two suspected terrorists.

An IAF helicopter had reported conducted surveillance sorties and the sugarcane field, spread over 30 acres, was lit up by searchlights by the army and police personnel.

 

Pandher village, where the new offensive is being planned , is nearly 20km off the India-Pakistan border and about a stone’s throw from the Tibri military cantonment.

The facility is not far from the Pathankot IAF station that saw a four-day long counter-terror operation in which six jihadists and seven security personnel were killed.

All roads leading to Tibri have been cordoned off and a high alert sounded in the area.

Gurdaspur was also targeted by Pakistani terrorists in July last year when they stormed a police station.