One jawan was injured after a blast during combing operation at the Pathankot air base on Sunday, where a terror attack on Saturday killed six security personnel. Five Pakistani fidayeen militants were also killed in the attack. The cause of the blast is not yet known.
Gunshots were also heard from the IAF frontier base on Sunday morning leading to speculation that a sixth terrorist could still be holed up inside.
Meanwhile, in the seventh casualty among the security forces, Lt Col Niranjan of the National Security Guard died in hospital on Sunday morning. He was injured in an IED blast while retrieving the body of a terrorist.
An eight-member team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has reached Pathankot in Punjab to take over the probe into the attack.
Search and combing operation continued at the base a day after a gunfight that lasted over 17 hours. Three security personnel were also killed after the attackers breached a high-security perimetre and entered the IAF base.
The attackers are believed to belong to Jaish-e-Mohammad headed by Maulana Masood Azhar of the Kandahar hijack episode.
The security around the area remained tight and defence personnel were seen patrolling the area. The technical area, where the IAF’s MIG-21 fighter jets, MI-35 attack helicopters and other critical assets were stationed, was secure, they said.
Security agencies, including the Army, National Security Guards (NSG), Indian Air Force, para-military forces and Punjab Police were involved in the massive search operation inside the IAF base and nearby areas.
IAF helicopters could be seen flying over the base and nearby areas through the night and since early Sunday to assist ground forces in the operations.
ANi