Massive search operation at Tibri cantt after ''suspicious movement''

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Tibri cantonment, December 10 

A routine search operation conducted by the police in a dozen deras surrounding the Tibri cantonment, one of the biggest army areas in the country, 8 km from Gurdaspur, triggered panic among villagers on Saturday morning.

Since early morning there were rumours that residents of Chava village, near the cantonment, had spotted a group of four well built kurta-pyjama clad ‘suspected terrorists.’ This was enough to push the panic button following which 50 odd cops of the Puranashala police station started a search operation in deras near the cantonment.

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The army officials were also informed after which tanks and other vehicles were moved to safer places. Some tanks were even placed near the outer wall of the cantonment even as army men could be seen placing sand bags at strategic points inside the premises.

The search went on till afternoon with cops placing emphasis on checking inhabitants of the deras as these are inhabited with Muslim population and since long have been suspected of harbouring militants.

The Puranashala SHO, Naresh Mahajan, who himself was involved in the operation, said it was a routine search “which was conducted on a monthly basis.”

Cops from the nearby Dinanagar police station too were deployed at several points on the Gurdaspur-Mukerian highway.

SSP Jasdeep Singh was unavailable for comments.

The historic Chhota Ghallughara gurdwara is located 5 km away from the cantonment. Cops could be seen fanning out in that area too.

Some Chava villagers claimed that they had actually seen “some militants roaming about near their village around 4am.”

“They were inquiring how far the Gurdaspur-Amritsar national highway was from the village. Sensing that they could be militants, we informed the control room following which cops arrived and started the search,” said Karnail Singh, a villager.

However, the SHO denied Karnail Singh’s claims and added that some villagers had floated a rumour.

“Today’s operation was not based on any input received from any villager. It was just a routine search and nothing else. Not much should be read into what the villagers are claiming,” he said.

In the aftermath of the January 2 Pathankot Air Force station attack, a massive joint search was conducted in the same area by the Army, police and CRPF. The two-day-long operation saw sugarcane fields being mowed down to track the terrorists.