It's suspected that Zakir Musa is well-networked in Punjab.

Intelligence inputs received from various security agencies including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has said that dreaded Al-Qaeda terrorist Zakir Musa may be hiding as a Sikh local somewhere in Ferozepur or Bathinda.

A high alert has been sounded in Bathinda and Ferozepur after receiving the inputs. Army personnel have been deployed at the Bathinda Railway Station.

Punjab Police has sealed the Punjab and Rajasthan border besides placing barricades at nine places and deploying six patrol parties at various places.

According to security agencies, a Pakistan phone number was traced at Basti Gulab Singh Wala village in Mamdot area of Ferozepur. Police had raided some houses in this village on Tuesday night after a mobile phone SIM card was found active in the area.

Police had also arrested a suspected terrorist from Mamdot area who was being interrogated. However, officials were tight lipped about the arrest.

Meanwhile, Ferozepur Police, after getting the alert, also launched a massive combing operation in Mandot area. Police personnel searched the Ghoda Chakkar forest area, which is spread over hundreds of acres at the Indo-Pak border.

Police has sealed the Basti Gulab Singhwala village and barricaded the roads to check the vehicles. Contingents of paramilitary force were also deployed during the search operation, which continued till Thursday evening.

The intelligence input said that Zakir Musa may have disguised himself as a Sikh to escape the security agencies.

Sources said, Zakir Musa may be relocating himself in Punjab primarily due to two reasons - one, as part of ISI's new strategy to revive militancy in Punjab and second, to save himself from the Indian security forces, which have continued to crackdown on terrorist activities in the Valley.