Chandigarh, Nov 14 (IANS): A massive search operation is on here in the frontier areas in Punjab on Wednesday after four suspected terrorists hijacked a taxi at gunpoint causing fears of a Pathankot airbase-like attack that took place in 2016.

The taxi, a silver-coloured Toyota Innova, was initially hired by the four men from Jammu. They had booked it for Pathankot. Near Madhopur, they aimed a gun at the driver and threw him out of the car and took off, the police said.

The taxi driver, with the help of passersbys, later informed the police.

The Punjab Police and Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched a search operation in the Madhopur area and surroundings. Other security agencies were also put on high alert.

The Pathankot airbase of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was attacked by terrorists, suspected to be from Pakistan on January 2, 2016. Seven people were killed in that attack.

The area has defence establishments, including the frontier IAF base in Pathankot and the nearby Mamun Cantt of the Army.

Prior to the terrorist attack on the IAF base in 2016, suspected Pakistani terrorists had carried out an attack on Dinanagar town in neighbouring Gurdaspur district.

The Dinanagar terror attack took place on July 27, 2015 when three Pakistani terrorists entered from the border belt.