IB input says ISI planning attack, Gurdaspur, Pathankot on alert

The input further warns that the attack may take place within the next 15 days in Gurdaspur and Pathankot in Punjab
Pathankot : Security agencies in Gurdaspur and Pathankot were on their toes after the intelligence bureau (IB) issued an alert that Pakistan’s spy agency ISI is planning a major terror strike in Punjab and neighbouring Jammu and Kashmir.
The input, shared with the state governments earlier this week, said four terrorists have infiltrated into Punjab through Bamyal sector a few days ago. The input further warns that the attack may take place within the next 15 days in Gurdaspur and Pathankot in Punjab.
The IB says that the “terrorists” were now waiting for arms and ammunition to be supplied from Pakistan and a drug peddler was being used as a courier.
“They (the terrorists) are waiting for the supply of arms and ammunition to be provided by the ISI. The ISI has also hired a drug courier to hand over the consignment of arms and ammunition to these terrorists within next 15 days,” says the IB note, asking the governments and security agencies to take “necessary preventive and precautionary measures as deemed fit”.
The input shared by the security agencies of Jammu and Kashmir earlier had claimed that footprints of four suspected persons were spotted near the border in Kathua district.
Pathankot SSP Vivek Sheel Soni said the security agencies were already on high alert. “Vehicles are being checked at the entry points into the district,” he added.
Gurdaspur SSP BS Virk said additional forces have been requisitioned from Jalandhar-based Punjab Armed Police and tight security is being maintained in the border district.
Pathankot was the centre of a major terror strike by four Pakistani terrorists who crossed over from Pakistan and launched a nearly three-day bomb and gun attack on the airbase in the border town. Seven security personnel were killed in the January 2, 2016, assault that broke down planned talks between India and Pakistan.
India blamed Pakistan’s Jaish-e-Mohammed, an ISI-supported terror group, for the Pathankot attack.
In 2015, three Pakistan-origin terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group had crossed over from the international border and attacked the Dinanagar police station.
Ten persons, including the Gurdaspur superintendent of police, were killed in the 12-hour-long operation that killed all the heavily-armed terrorists who were equipped with two GPS devices and night vision devices with US army marking.