Alert in Pathankot, Gurdaspur after terror attack in Uri

CHANDIGARH: An alert has been sounded in Punjab's border districts of Pathankot and Gurdaspur following the terror strike on an Army camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 17 jawans.

Tight vigil is being maintained near key installations including the Pathankot Airforce base, that had come under attack by militants earlier this year, and near Indo-Pak border areas, police said.

"An alert has been sounded in border districts of Pathankot and Gurdaspur in light of the terror attack in Uri," Pathankot SSP Rakesh Kaushal said today.

Police patrolling has been strengthened near sensitive areas in and around the city and vehicles coming from and going towards Jammu are being thoroughly checked, police said.

"Security around Pathankot Airforce base has also been tightened," the SSP said.

"We have also increased the number of police checkpoints in and outer parts of the city to keep a check on anti-social elements," he further said.

Heavily armed militants stormed a battalion headquarters of the Army in North Kashmir's Uri town in the wee hours today, killing 17 jawans and injuring 19 other personnel in the strike in which four ultras were neutralised.

Earlier this year, terrorists who had sneaked in from across the border had attacked Pathankot air base on the intervening night of January 1-2 while Dinanagar in Gurdaspur was targeted on July 27 last year.

The Pathankot attack had claimed the lives of seven security personnel while four terrorists were killed.

Three heavily-armed terrorists wearing army fatigues had stormed a police station in Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district last year killing seven persons, including a Superintendent of Police, before they were gunned down during a day-long operation.

Meanwhile, Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, V P Singh Badnore today strongly condemnded the the terror strike on the Uri Army camp.