A multi-tier security grid along the International Border with Pakistan in the neighbouring Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts of Punjab, along the Jammu frontier were kept in a state of high alert after a low intensity grenade attack took place in the close vicinity of the fortified Air Force Station, Pathankot late Sunday night.
Before the grenade attack was reported the movement of two suspected persons were spotted near Bamiyal village, close to the International border.
A four wheeler fitted with different registration plates (rear and front portion) was also recovered by the police in the border area. Drones were also pressed into service by the security forces to keep a vigil in the border area during the day.
The terror attack inside Pathankot cantonment took place after a gap of more than five years. Earlier, on January 2, 2016, four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists had laid siege to the air base. A 48-hour fierce gun battle had followed in which all terrorists were killed.
According to preliminary reports, the grenade attack by two motorcycle borne suspects near a Triveni gate inside Pathankot cantonment coincided with a marriage procession passing through the area.
Taking advantage of the darkness the grenade throwers fled away from the scene without facing any resistance. Teams were set up to scan the CCTV footage of cameras fitted along the boundary wall of the army installation. According to the local police authorities in Pathankot, "No major loss of life and property was reported in the area". The boundary wall adjacent to the main gate bore the maximum brunt of the grenade explosion.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Pathankot Surendra Lamba along with his colleagues rushed to the spot. Moving swiftly, all the entry and exit points of the border district were sealed and thorough checking of vehicles and suspected persons moving in the area was launched by the joint team of security
forces.
Early Monday morning a team of Counter terror experts from Ferozepur were also rushed to the spot to carry out a forensic examination of the blast site and collect samples.
Meanwhile, the security was beefed up across all the vital installations in Pathankot. The ammunition dump at Mamun Cantt was also secured. Security checkpoints were also raised near the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir where all the vehicles were subjected to screening by the Jammu and Kashmir police. The border guarding force in the region was also directed to enhance area domination while maintaining a tight vigil to prevent infiltration by heavily armed terrorists from across the
border.