Panic in Ferozepur after locals mistake two linesmen for terrorists

Ferozepur: Security forces in the border town of Ferozepur were on their toes for hours on Tuesday and the entire Cantonment area was cordoned off after two telephone linesmen, who were climbing a wall to repair phone lines, were mistaken for terrorists.

The army swung into action after it was informed about the two men and it cordoned off the entire area. Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) were also deployed and checking had begun to look for the suspicious men.

However, when CCTV footages were checked, the duo turned out to be telephone linesmen from Signals Regiment, who had come to repair the phone lines passing through the area.

With Pathankot attack fresh in minds, the development triggered panic in the area and parents thronged schools to collect their children.

Ferozepur Senior Superintendent of Police Hardyal Singh Mann said that the rumors regarding firing or infiltration by terrorists were all baseless and there was no need to panic.

In a pre-dawn attack, a group of heavily-armed Pakistani terrorists, believed to be belonging to JeM, attacked the Pathankot air base on January 2 killing seven security personnel. Six terrorists were also killed in the incident.

The terrorists were said to have crossed the India-Pakistan border in Punjab and reached the strategically crucial air base and carried out the attack.