Friday, Mar 29, 2024 | Last Update : 05:14 PM IST

  India   Terror still lurks in Pathankot, panel tells government

Terror still lurks in Pathankot, panel tells government

AGE CORRESPONDENT
Published : Jun 22, 2016, 3:10 am IST
Updated : Jun 22, 2016, 3:10 am IST

Terrorists are hiding in villages close to the Pathankot airbase in Punjab and may attack it again, the parliamentary standing committee (PSC) on home affairs said in Jammu Tuesday, sending alarming b

Terrorists are hiding in villages close to the Pathankot airbase in Punjab and may attack it again, the parliamentary standing committee (PSC) on home affairs said in Jammu Tuesday, sending alarming bells ringing in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

On January 2 this year, a heavily-armed group of terrorists had attacked Pathankot Air Force Station, part of the IAF’s Western Air Command. Four attackers and two security force personnel were killed in the initial battle and a third security force member died of his injuries hours later.

The panel said the government has been informed about its fears and security at the strategically important yet “vulnerable” facility has been beefed up.

Home ministry sources in New Delhi claimed there was no concrete intelligence input to suggest that some militants had sneaked in from across the border in the Pathankot region and were hiding near the Air Force base to launch another attack. Sources said that ever since the January attack security, particularly border patrolling, along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab had already been considerably enhanced.

“After going back from Pathankot, we made our suggestions to the government and said that there can be a further attack on Pathankot. We were told by the villagers that some terrorists were still hiding in the villages there,” committee chairman P. Bhattacharya told reporters in Jammu Tuesday.

He added that after the recommendation of the committee, the government has alerted the Border Security Force, CRPF and Army and handed over security of the airbase to them.

Mr Bhattacharya said, “Do you know that a few days ago the government asked the CRPF, BSF and the Army to guard the Air Force station because some terrorists are hiding there How they are hiding there — it is not my business to find out. But we got the information from the villagers and it was very clear to us that they are hiding somewhere. We have informed the government of India about it.”

When asked to comment on the Central government giving permission to a Pakistani investigation team to visit Pathankot airbase, he said, “The committee does not support the idea of the government of India of bringing this intelligence branch of Pakistan here. What for But, for any foreign policy of the government of India, we are not the proper fora, we cannot take the decision to do this and not to do this,” he said.

“We went to Pathankot, which is the most vulnerable area,” he said. He said, in response to questions, that the committee is satisfied with the measures being taken by the BSF to check infiltration but, at the same time, he sought modern equipment for the paramilitary force.

“As of now they have explained to us the way they are trying to prevent infiltration. You cannot say what is happening today or tomorrow (sic), but up till now it is all right,” he said.

Location: India, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar