Government orders ‘audit’ of vulnerable areas

Lie test’ on Punjab cop likely next week

Drawing lessons from the terrorist attack at the IAF base in Pathankot, the government on Friday ordered a time-bound “security audit” for all “vulnerable” installations of the armed forces, paramilitary units and police forces, as well as key government buildings, as the nation’s security brass met to discuss ways to beef up India’s counter-terrorism methods in view of the rising number cross-border terror threats.

Home minister Rajnath Singh presided over the meeting that was attended by defence minister Manohar Parrikar, national security adviser Ajit Doval and top security and intelligence officials to discuss the takeaways from the January 1-2 terrorist attack on the Pathankot airbase. Putting lapses in security at the IAF base and gaps in the state government’s response in the forefront, the Centre’s top officials did a stocktaking of the siege. The need for a better media communications strategy was also felt, with the NSA and top security officials saying that wrong or controversial media coverage of a sensitive issue could hamper the probe or even jeopardise national security.

The government has decided to formulate a media communications strategy to be put in place for on-the-spot briefings by authorised officers specially trained for this in order to meet such contingencies.

The home minister expressed concern at how the terrorists managed to enter the vital Air Force installation even as the “time lapse” in mopping-up and sanitisation exercises after the prompt action on intelligence inputs was discussed, top sources said. Concerns over the state government’s approach were also raised as better security and professional policing to tackle the drug cartel-terrorist networks was needed in the state that borders Pakistan. The need to plug gaps in border security with increased technological intervention was also highlighted. The government said the “strengths” shown by all agencies should be built upon further.

“In view of continuing threats from hostile elements from across the border, the need to further upgrade both intelligence and preventive abilities, specially in terms of technology, was stressed. It was decided that the security audit of all vulnerable stations of the armed forces, paramilitary forces and the police would be carried out in a given timeframe,” a home ministry statement said.

Discussions were held on the means to further strengthen the prevention, detection and foiling of such attacks.

In the hour-long meeting, it was felt that once intelligence inputs had been confirmed, the response time was quick enough, both in terms of decisions taken, and deployment of forces, but the synergised response could be built upon further.

The need for a better media communications strategy was also felt. It was decided that in such incidents, the media was best briefed by authorised persons on the spot and arrangements for this, including training, should be put in place to meet such contingencies, should they happen in future, the statement said.

The National Investigation Agency, which is probing the Pathankot attack, will conduct a lie detector test on senior Punjab police officer Salwinder Singh, who is being questioned in the case, some time next week after he gave his consent. MHA sources said Mr Singh, former SP of Gurdaspur who is now posted as assistant commandant with the 75th battalion of the Punjab Armed Police, was questioned for the fifth day on Friday and confronted with his cook Madan Gopal and dargah caretaker Somraj.

Mr Singh, who was shunted out just days before the January 1-2 attack as Gurdaspur SP and faces alleged charges of breach of discipline, has in principle given his consent for a polygraph test, the sources said. The NIA will move an application before a designated court here on Saturday seeking permission to conduct the polygraph test on Mr Singh, who is said to have been allegedly changing his statements quite frequently, the sources added.

Official sources said Friday’s MHA meet also took stock of key internal security aspects and analysed intelligence inputs received in the recent past in the run-up to Republic Day. Recent intelligence inputs have suggested there may be six to 10 Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists who have crossed over to India from Pakistan through Punjab recently. Besides, according to a Punjab police input, there could be 15 terrorists who had breached the international border and entered India from Pakistan. An additional 10,000 paramilitary personnel have already been deployed in Delhi to ensure greater security cover ahead of the Republic Day celebrations. Security has been beefed up at the Indira Gandhi International Airport after another input suggested that terrorists may try to create a hostage-like situation.

Both domestic and international flights have been asked to upgrade the scale of security, with some passengers being made to undergo “secondary ladder-point checks” in some flights. This is conducted when the passenger is about to board the aircraft to ensure he/she is not carrying any weapon, chemical or other dangerous material.

Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, defence secretary G. Mohan Kumar and senior officers of the home and defence ministries, as well as representatives of the BSF and other paramilitary units were also present at the meeting.