Pathankot attack: Govt tells Par about security audit, probe

Terrorists belonging to Jaish-e- Mohammad entered into a criminal conspiracy to infiltrate into India and carry out the attack on Pathankot air base with the active support of co-conspirators operating from Pakistan, Rajya Sabha was informed today.
The handlers and co-conspirators operating from outside the territorial borders of India sent trained terrorists with arms, ammunition and other logistics from Pakistan, Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in reply to several written questions.
The terrorists attacked the Pathankot air base, he said, adding the matter has been taken up by India with Pakistan to take action against the masterminds of the terrorist attack.

Chaudhary said the security audit of all security related establishments, infrastructure has been carried out by agencies concerned to assess physical security measures and upgrade it wherever necessary.
The BSF has identified 30 kms border in the area of responsibility of Gurdaspur sector for installation of pilot project for comprehensive integrated border management system to improve the border surveillance further, he said.
Admitting that there was specific intelligence with regard to Pathankot attack, the Minister said a committee headed by Lt General (retd) Philip Campose has been appointed to look into the Pathankot incident and recommend measures to strengthen security of various military establishment and submit its report by March 31, 2016.

Chaudhary said as per the investigation conducted by the NIA so far, Punjab Police SP Salvinder Singh, his jeweller friend Rajesh Verma and cook Madan Gopal were abducted by the terrorists on the intervening night of December 31, 2015 and January 1, 2016.

While Singh was tied up and thrown out from the vehicle, his car was robbed and Verma's throat was slit by the terrorists.
The Minister said investigation was to find out whether the midnight activities of the unarmed SP and the accompanying goldsmith (Verma) and others on the border were not deemed to be suspicious.
Chaudhary said it is a fact that in many terror incidents, including the recent one at Pathankot, the militants were wearing army outfits and such uniforms are easily available in open markets in the country.

He also said so far there is no proposal under consideration to bring a law to prevent misuse of uniforms of armed forces personnel by terrorists.