Punjab Terror Alert: Abandoned car found in Pathankot's Bamiyal sector, suspicious men seen

Security forces in Pathankot have been put on high alert after a few men were spotted roaming around suspiciously in a black Alto car in the Bamiyal sector of the city in Punjab late on Wednesday. 

Pathankot's senior superintendent of police Rakesh Kaushal said that some villagers spotted the car that had a Jammu and Kashmir numberplate, according to Hindustan Times. The men in the car escaped when local villagers chased them. 

The same car was later spotted in Pharwal village that is located close to the India-Pakistan international border, but the men travelling in the car escaped after being chased by the locals. The car has been confiscated and an investigation has been launched.

"There was a specific input about the presence of some suspicious men roaming in the area. A massive search operation has been launched in the area. Some areas have been cordoned off on Pathankot-Dalhousie road to locate suspects," News18 quoted police sources as saying.

According to reports, a few gunshots were fired after which villagers chased the car but Kaushal denied all reports of any firing.

"The car was locked when we found it and now it is being searched. Also, we are trying to locate the occupants of the vehicle... There was no firing from the car. Locals chased the car as they got suspicious of its movement," Kaushal told the Hindu.

The Indian Army has also been alerted about the incident.

Bamiyal sector was used by Pakistani terrorists to infiltrate into Pathankot and carry out the attack on the Air Force Station base in Punjab on January 2 this year claiming the lives of six soldiers and five attackers.