Punjab: J-K registration car tries to run over cops in Pathankot

The vehicle was later found abandoned at Badrali village during the search operation.

Chandigarh, Feb 18: A search operation was launched on Saturday in Punjab's Pathankot district after a car bearing the registration number of Jammu and Kashmir allegedly tried to run over police personnel on patrol duty.

The patrol party of the Pathankot police tried to stop the silver-coloured Maruti Alto K-10 at a check barrier in Sujanpur but the occupants tried to run over the cops, Pathankot SSP, Nilambari Jagdalay Vijay said.

She said the occupants, believed to be 4-5 in number, escaped and the vehicle was found abandoned at Badrali village during the search operation.

"We have registered an FIR against unknown accused under relevant provisions of the law," Nilambari said.

She said the police was questioning the locals of the area where the car was found.

"Nothing suspicious has been found from the search of the car. The security agencies are on the hunt to arrest the accused," she said.

Last year, occupants of a black Maruti Alto car had abandoned their vehicle near Bhagwal village in Pathankot, which is close to the Indo-Pak international border, and escaped on foot after the villagers had tried to stop the vehicle.

Terrorists had sneaked in from across the border and attacked the Pathankot air base on the intervening night of January 1-2 last year, while Dinanagar in adjoining Gurdaspur district was targeted by terrorists on July 27, 2015.

The Pathankot terror attack had claimed the lives of seven security personnel, while four terrorists were killed in the incident. Three heavily-armed terrorists wearing Army fatigues had stormed a police station in Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district killing seven persons, including a Superintendent of Police, before they were gunned down during a day-long operation.

PTI