In Pathankot district, after reports of suspected terrorist movement in the area Security has been stepped up

Security has been stepped up and search operations are being carried out around the border localities of Punjab, particularly in Pathankot district, after reports of suspected terrorist movement in the area.

Acting on a tip off, early on Thursday morning, security forces immediately spread out in large numbers and searched various locations in the region. The ITI building, where the suspects were reportedly spotted, was also thoroughly checked.

"We are on top of every issue. There is nothing to worry about it," said the chief minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh on reports of suspicious movement in Pathankot.

Reports suggest group of suspicious men stopped a car and asked for a lift on Sunday night. The car belonged to a local resident, Maskin Ali, who told news agency ANI that, "Some men claimed they were from the army and 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 and during the tussle some of them fled with my car." Mr Ali said he had alerted the police about it on Sunday itself

"There were inputs for the past three to four days that some suspicious movement has been spotted. We reacted accordingly but till now nothing substantial has been found. We are collaborating with other agencies too, and the search operations are on," SPS Parmar, Inspector General Border Zone.

The number of security personnel at the border posts has been increased and the check posts are on alert said the police.

The Punjab Police has provided nine bulletproof tractors to Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts to deal with any threats arising out of the situation, particularly in the backdrop of terror attack on the Air Force base in Pathankot in January 2016.