Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 1: Phiyal Dogra post of the Pakistani Rangers has been identified as one of the posts across Paharpur area of Hiranagar sector from where three fidayeens, who carried out twin terror attacks at Hiranagar and Samba on September 26, were reported to have been launched inside the Indian territory.
Officially, four separate inquiries have been ordered into the terror attacks but Intelligence agencies were conducting their own internal inquiry into the strikes on last Thursday morning that killed 10 persons including four Army soldiers, four police constables and two civilians.
Principal Secretary (Home) Suresh Kumar has been asked by the State Government to probe the police preparedness, response and lapses before and during the attack while IG BSF, Jammu Frontiers, SS Tomar was conducting an inquiry into lapses, if any, by the BSF in infiltration of three militants from the International Border. The IG BSF was holding the probe on the directions of Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde communicated through the BSF Headquarters.
Army has ordered a Court of Inquiry into the attack on Mehsar camp near Samba in which four Army soldiers including Lt Col Bikramjeet Singh, Second-in-Command of 16 Cavalry Unit were killed and two others including Commanding Officer of the Unit were injured. Police have constituted a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the entire incident and lapses on part of police, if any.
Preliminary investigations by the Intelligence agencies have revealed that the fidayeens had reportedly been launched from Phiyal Dogra post of Pakistani Rangers and then took the confluence of Bashira Nullah and Chhap Nullah using their banks to land at Paharpur forward area. Then they reached Hariya Chak, the first populated village from the International Border to set off for the attack.
Sources said the Central Intelligence agencies have confirmed reports that some more militants were camping across the IB in Jammu sector waiting for an opportunity to sneak into this side. However, they added that all the militants might not be plotting to infiltrate into this side for the purpose of attack but to shift towards forest areas of Samba and Kathua to move towards Doda belt.
However, the BSF, which has been maintaining a high alert along the IB, hasn’t allowed infiltration attempts to succeed barring intrusion by three fidayeens on September 26 that too from an open nullah, where fencing had been washed away due to flash floods during Monsoon rains.
Sources said the BSF has been plugging the gaps, where fencing has been washed away due to recent flash flood, through manual patrolling to ensure that the militants didn’t manage to sneak-in.
The BSF has identified the areas, where the fencing has been washed away. Pending repair of the fencing, the BSF has stepped-up patrolling by its jawans in all these areas. The BSF has already held a flag meeting with the Rangers at Ramgarh sector, prior to twin terror attacks at Hiranagar and Samba, and apprised them about the repair work of fencing it was going to undertake shortly.
Sources, however, said that the things like the route undertaken by three fidayeens for infiltration and whether they had been supported by the Rangers in the intrusions, would be clear only when the BSF completed its inquiry.
“Whether the infiltration had taken place from Hiranagar sector or any other area would also be known during the inquiry,’’ they added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel