"We want the government to take immediate measures to enhance security along the border with Pakistan, stop infiltration and strengthen police set-up in these areas to prevent such attacks in future," Ravi Sharma, a local resident and president of the Punjab unit of Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Suraksha Committee, told PTI here.
"This is the second and the longest drawn terror attacks in Punjab border districts in the past less than six months. It has created a fear psychosis among the people who had seen the worst days of terrorism in Punjab in the past.
The people of Pathankot do not want to see the re-birth of terrorism as they have paid huge prices earlier to bring peace to these border areas. "We cannot afford to see return of terror to this border state. People are now in perpetual fear while travelling on highways and along the border areas due to apprehension of further attacks," Sharma said.
Similarly, 53-year-old Avtar Singh, who runs a furniture shop near the Pathankot Air Force station, fears that the localities around defence installations and highways have become target of terrorists from Pakistan.
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The residents held dozens of anti-Pakistan protests and burnt effigies of Pakistan as the anti-terror operations continued for the third day.
The Air Force station and its surrounding areas have become a theatre of battle since January 2 as scores of bullets damaged the walls of neighbouring houses and several rounds of bigger ammunition landed on their rooftops, spreading fear among the residents.
The Punjab government has announced a roadmap to check infiltration. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had yesterday announced deployment of a commando battalion and a special SWAT team in Pathankot as a "second line of defence" and also sought deployment of more BSF troops along the state's border with Pakistan.
"It has happened in our territory so we need to take our own initiative and come up with second line of defence," he said.