1 intruder killed in Pathankot border, 2 escape

Officials said the Border Security Force team deployed along the International Border (IB) saw suspicious movement of at least three infiltrators near the Bamiyal area early morning. In order to thwart a bid to breach the border, the troops fired. 

“One intruder has been killed while two others fled back from the IB. The area where the incident took place is called Taash and is in Gurdaspur sector near Bamiyal in Pathankot,” they said. 

Incidentally, Bamiyal is the same area from where it is widely suspected that the terrorists from Pakistan who perpetrated the IAF base attack in Pathankot had sneaked into the country. 

In a simultaneous development, the NIA on Thursday conducted searches at five places, including office and residences of Punjab Police SP Salwinder Singh in Amritsar and Gurdaspur. The residences of his friends, Rajesh Verma, a jeweller and Madan Gopal, a cook and a woman were also raided by the teams. 

Meanwhile, the government has decided to set up a committee to review security at defence bases in the country based on the “risk factor”. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar conveying this on Thursday said the government has also asked the officers commanding the bases to do a thorough security assessment.