Pathankot, November 23: A high alert was issued in Punjab after six suspected terrorists sighted in army uniform in Pathankot on Friday, reported News 18. Punjab police has started a search operation in the area. The suspected terrorists were spotted in the city, just days after the blast at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar’s Rajasansi Village which claimed the lives of three people. The police arrested one of the attackers. According to initial investigations, security agencies suspected the involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence in the blast.

Earlier this month, intelligence agencies also issued a similar alert about the presence of six to seven Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists in the state. The security agencies also warned that the terrorists were planning to move towards Delhi. The alert was issued after four suspected terrorists hijacked a car in Pathankot’s Madhopur area on November 14 from a man who reportedly hails from Jammu and Kashmir.

Recently, former Hizbul Mujahideen commander and founder and chief of Al-Qaeda cell Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind Zakir Moosa was also spotted in Amritsar. Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat also warned that external forces are trying to disrupt peace in Punjab. General Rawat had said that Punjab has been peaceful, but because of these external linkages, attempts again are being made to revive insurgency in the state.

Last month, reports also surfaced that JeM was planning to conduct a series of attacks in India. According to a report published in India Today, two programmes were organised by the terror organisation in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on October 19 and 20 in which around 100 suicide attackers took an oath to wage war against India.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 23, 2018 11:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).