From past 48 hours Pathankot is under a heavy combing operation, after a 5 to 7 terrorists in outfit of Indian Army breached inside Pathankot Air Force campus on 2nd January 2016. As per the media reports the gun battle which lasted for 17 hours on second day of the year, killed 4 terrorists and three of security personnel.
However, the operation is still under process and death toll of Indian forces tolled to seven, while 20 others were injured. The initial reports from the operation revealed that all these terrorists belong to Jaish-e-Mohammad – an Islamist militant group. A motive which is very certain from the activity is, they (terrorists) wanted to damage Air assets of Indian Air Force.
Prior to this incidence, car of Punjab Police Superintendent was hijacked on 31st December, who was suspected to be entered from the banks of Ravi River which cuts across Pakistani border. The act is said to be associated with attack on Air Force Campus. In the after myth of the operation Pathankot-Jammu highway was sealed off.
Among the security personnel killed in the operation also includes Commonwealth Shooting Medalist Fateh Singh, Lt Col Niranjan Kumar – an officer of Madras Sappers was also killed. Kumar was
On 2 January 2016, several heavily armed terrorists (between 5 and 7) attacked Pathankot Air Force Station, part of the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force. Initial reports suggested the terrorists were wearing Indian Army fatigues. Four terrorists and three security forces personnel were killed in the initial gun battle. Fresh gunshots were heard in the subsequent combing up operation indicating more terrorists still at large. The terrorists are suspected to belong to Jaish-e-Mohammed, an Islamist militant group. The gun battle lasted about 17 hours on 2 January.
Fateh Singh, a Commonwealth shooting medalist, was killed during the combing operation. A further three soldiers who were admitted to hospital with injuries died, raising the death toll to six.
The hijacking of a car of a superintendent of the Punjab Police the previous day was reportedly linked to the attack. Although, Punjab Police has retained the vehicle in less than 24 hours of hijacking, but Indian intelligence officers does hints the connection between both the incidences. The intelligence also says that, the gunmen may have entered India on 31 December 2015, along the banks of the Ravi River which cuts across the Pakistani border.
On 2nd January around 3.30 AM these terrorists jumped the 15 ft high walls of Air Force Campus, but were prevented to enter further into the campus.
The Pathankot–Jammu highway was sealed off in the aftermath of the attack. Media reports suggested that the attack was a clear attempt to derail a fragile peace process meant to stabilize the deteriorated relations between India and Pakistan.
Gunshots were heard on the morning of 3 January 2016, leading to speculations that a sixth terrorist might still be in the airbase. A fresh IED explosion on 3 January injured three National Security Guard personnel. Around noon, it was discovered that two more terrorists were still at large in the airbase.
Security forces continued the operation on 4 January, with reinforcements being deployed to the location.
