JeM could be behind Pathankot terror attack: Centre

New Delhi/Chandigarh: The total number of injured defence personnel in the encounter so far belonging to the DSC, NSG and IAF stands at 20.

Asked about the terror group which could be behind the attack, home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said as per initial information it was Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) but it would be confirmed only after the operation is over.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday night held a meeting with top officials to discuss the Pathankot terror attack. Soon after returning from his two-day visit to Karnataka, Modi chaired a meeting of top officials including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar.

“Immediately on landing in Delhi, PM Narendra Modi is chairing a high-level meeting with the NSA, Foreign Secretary and other officials,” the PMO said.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Government on Sunday announced deployment of a commando battalion and a special SWAT team in Pathankot as a “second line of defence” and also sought the deployment of more BSF troops along the state's border with Pakistan.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), mandated to probe terror cases, will register a case on Monday to probe the conspiracy of Pakistan-based terrorist group, believed to be Jaish-e-Mohammed, behind the strike at the IAF base in Pathankot in Punjab.