Pathankot residents spot ‘suspicious’ men, security agencies on toes

Police and security agencies, who have been on their toes since Sunday after a shepherd claimed to have seen two men in army fatigues in the Bamial sector, were alarmed again when two Pathankot residents, who live near the air force base, claimed they saw three suspicious men on Wednesday night.

Rajinder Kumar and Darshan Singh claimed to have seen suspects at around 11.30 pm on Wednesday night on a road that leads to the rear side of the air force station and has many army establishments along the way. The input has spurred security agencies, who the began combing through the area.

However, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh assured that there was nothing to worry about. “We are on top of every issue. There is nothing to worry about it,” Singh said.

Some men claiming to be a part of Army asked me for a lift. I let them in but soon realised they weren't army men. As we tried to escape they attacked us, during our tussle they fled with my car. We informed police about this at night (on Sunday) itself:Maskin Ali,Local,Pathankot pic.twitter.com/R6xEYbeWV9

— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2018

Pathankot SSP Vivek Sheel Soni confirmed the input of the Pathankot residents. “The area is being searched thoroughly as we give due importance to all information,” he said.

Soni said Rajinder Kumar, who is serving in General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), told the police that he saw three persons who went out of his sight in the dark and later an RMP, who lives on the rear side of the air force station, also claimed that he saw similar people after a gap of half an hour.

We are on top of every issue. There is nothing to worry about it: Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh on reports of suspicious movement being detected in #Pathankot pic.twitter.com/P6VEpxHKfN

— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2018

“We are conducting searches in the abandoned buildings that are near the station,” the SSP said.

The four Pakistani militants who had stormed the Pathankot air force station, an attack in which seven security personnels were killed, had entered station from the rear side.

The inputs come at the time when air force is undergoing “Gagan Shakti”, an exercise during which high security is already in place in and around Pathankot air base where new generation aircrafts are taking part in the exercise. Meanwhile the fighter jets continued to roar in the skies as Punjab Police, which acts as the second line of defence in the area, continued its search operations around the air force station.