Focus on insider involvement in Uri attack

Initial investigation into the Uri attack on Sunday morning have revealed that the militants may have entered the Uri Army camp from different places as the outer perimeter wire was found cut at two different places. Over the past few weeks intelligence agencies had given three specific inputs, the last one as recent as September 15, about a possible attack at a security camp close to the border.

Sources claim that the militants, who are suspected to have crossed over into the Indian territory just hours before the attack, managed to enter the camp virtually unchallenged. Sources said the four militants had entered almost 150 meters inside the Army camp, thus inflicting more casualties. After entering the camp, the militants split into two different groups to execute the attack.

Investigations are also focusing on the possible involvement of some insider as the nature of the attack reveals that the militants were well aware of the layout and other details of the camp. Sources said a number of civilians had been roped in during the turn over exercise when the Dogra regiment was being replaced by Bihar.

“This is normal as civilian help is taken for doing minor work when the turn over exercise is undertaken by the Army. It is possible that some labourers might have leaked inside information about the camp. This aspect is being thoroughly investigated,” a senior security official said. The NIA, which is now investigating the Uri case, has seized the two GPS recovered from the militants. The GPS though badly damaged in the incident will be sent for forensic examination to the FBI lab in US.

While initial investigations indicated the attack might well have been carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed, the NIA is also probing the role of Lashkar-e-Tayeeba.

The security forces are reviewing their Standard Operating Procedures for guarding vital installations and these are expected to be made more stringent. Sources said from now on adequate deployment of troops would be done both along the border and the installations so that such lapses can be avoided in future.

In a related development, the home ministry has sanctioned recruitment of 10,000 Special Police Officers in J&K. Ministry officials said the move will help enhance the capability of the state police in dealing with the law and order situation.