A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA), mandated to probe terror cases, Saturday reached Pathankot IAF base to gather inputs about the attack carried out by suspected militants.

The NIA team reached the spot as the Home Ministry has asked the central probe agency to keep a full investigation team in readiness as the case could be transferred to it, official sources said.

As per the standard operating procedure, an NIA team is rushed to the site where terror strike takes place so that they can share their expertise as well as have first-hand information about the case, the sources said.

A group of militants struck at the IAF station in Pathankot in the wee hours by scaling a wall.

They were spotted by ex-army personnel, recruited by the IAF for guard duty, and in the ensuing encounter four militants were gunned down.

The Pathankot IAF facility, located near the border with Pakistan, is the base of MiG-21 fighter planes and MI-25 attack helicopters of Air Force.

India recently gifted four such choppers to Afghanistan last month. (Agencies)