New Delhi: The terrorists who raided Pathankot air base may have entered India assisted by a drugs racket along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border and the heavy arms and ammunition used by them could have been dispatched from the neighbouring country before they crossed the border.
Security agencies suspect that the terrorists crossed the International Border in Punjab through a “controlled operation” by a gang involved in the smuggling of narcotics, fake Indian currency notes and arms.
The possibility of the involvement of some security personnel with the smuggling gang cannot be ruled out as there have been inputs in the past about some elements being linked to the establishment of the drugs racket, the sources said.
A detailed probe and questioning of some people involved in the racket could unearth the conspiracy, they added.
Speculation is rife that the heavy arms and ammunition used by the terrorists in the attack were sent over from Pakistan much before the terrorists crossed the International Border.
There is a high probability that the arms were sent through the drugs racket and dumped at a designated spot from where the terrorists collected these after crossing the border through a route used by the smugglers, sources said.
“Smuggling network in Punjab has to be probed,” they said.
PTI