Panic grips Dina Nagar in Gurdaspur

Panic gripped Dina Nagar town of Gurdaspur district on 27 July, following an attack on a bus and a police station complex by four heavily armed terrorists wearing army uniforms, which left five persons, including a policeman, dead.

As the news of attack spread, people living near Dina Nagar police station were gripped by panic and largely remained indoors. Many switched on their TV sets to catch the latest updates on the situation.

"People are in a state of panic here after they came to know about the attack," said Jatinder Kumar, whose house is 500 metres away from the Dina Nagar police station. Notably, Dina Nagar, about 25 km from Pathankot town, is the third largest town in Gurdaspur district.

"We can still listen to the sound of firing going on at police station between and security personnel and (suspected) militants," Jatinder told PTI over phone. Jatinder, who is an employee of Punjab Health Department, came to know about the incident at about 6:15 AM through his friend who called him up and informed about the incident.

"Then I went upstairs of my house and heard sound of bullet firing," he said, adding, soon a heavy police force and then the Army arrived at the spot to take on the militants.

Both Jatinder and his wife who works in Punjab's Internal Audit Department, have decided not to go to their offices in the wake of suspected terror attack.

"Our son who is a student of Class VIII has also not gone to school as district administration announced holiday in educational institutions," he said.

Varinder Kumar Vikky, who is also resident of Dina Nagar said, "There is panic in the area as this is for the first time that this area witnessed such an attack."

(With Inputs from PTI)