Security and vigil were beefed up further in Punjab, where already high alert was sounded since Thursday, after the terrorist-outfit Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AGH) chief Zakir Musa was reportedly spotted in Amritsar along with a few other men on Friday. Alarmed, the Punjab Police released posters of the militant and sounded high alert in the state.
The Jammu and Kashmir based Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind terror outfit has reported links to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). The development comes after the intelligence agencies informed the police about his movements near Amritsar.
Notably, the Punjab Police are on their toes after the intelligence agencies had issued a letter stating that six-seven members of the terror outfit JeM were believed to be sighted in Ferozepur. Following the development, the state has been put on high alert.
Police officials across the state have been asked to set up checkpoints at all important routes, conduct strict vehicle inspections and take suitable counter measures for all the sensitive locations.
Police areas along the India-Pakistan border have also been asked to coordinate with the Border Security Force (BSF). Officials have been advised to plan and implement precautionary measures to thwart any untoward incident.
Gurdaspur SSP Swarandeep Singh said: “We had inputs about his (Moosa's) movements near Amritsar. So we have released wanted posters of him to make public aware and have requested them to tell us if they have any information.”
“We had inputs that some JeM terrorists have infiltrated in Punjab through Ferozepur, so we have taken precautionary measures. Extra forces have been deployed along the border. Checking of vehicles is underway,” he said.
The alert stated that the infiltrators could be moving towards the national capital. The reports suggest that the militants had entered India from the international border in Ferozepur area.
A letter issued by the Counter Intelligence Inspector General said: “At least six to seven militants are reportedly in Punjab (possibly Ferozepur area) and planning to move towards Delhi from Punjab side.” The note advised the authorities to step up security, especially along the border and checking across the state.
On November 5, the Punjab Police arrested two students associated with Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, in connection with Maqsudan Police Station hand-grenade blasts case of September 14.
The outfit is headed by Musa, also known as Zakir Rashid Bhatt, who masterminded and guided the attack, involving Shahid Qayoom and Fazil Bashir, who were students of ST Soldier College of Engineering and Technology in Jalandhar.