Did All Six Terrorists Die During the Pathankot Operation?

The NIA is still unsure whether two out of the six terrorists got killed in the Pathankot operation.

The NIA is also unsure if two of the six terrorists (whose bodies were not found) were killed in the operation or managed to escape. (Photo: The Quint)

On 18 January, The Quint reported that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is unsure of how many terrorists managed to infiltrate across the border into India and attack the Pathankot air base. We now learn from investigators that the NIA is also unsure if two of the six terrorists (whose bodies were not found) were killed in the operation or managed to escape.

<p>We have sent some remains to the forensic lab for tests. Till the time we get the report, we cannot arrive at any answer conclusively.<br></p>

<b>Senior Official, NIA</b>

NIA sources confirmed that they did not recover any weapon used by the terrorists. The official refused to share any details of the remains sent to the forensic lab for tests. According to a former IB official, it is not possible that no remains of weapons were found at the spot, even if the terrorists were blown to pieces. He further added that there could only be two possible scenarios – one that the terrorists were killed in the operation, and two that both terrorists managed to escape from the Pathankot Air Force Base.

It is the second possibility that has become a cause of concern for top security officials. According to an intelligence officer, the possibility that the two terrorists sneaked into the national capital cannot be ruled out, if they managed to escape alive from the base.

How Many Terrorists Were There?

Footprints with marks of Pakistani sports shoe brand ‘Epcot’ found in Bamiyal village. (Photo: Reuters)

On 2 January, around 9.30 am, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared that all four terrorists were killed and the operation had ended. But barely a few hours later, firing could be heard from two different directions inside the air base. Later in the day, around 2.30 pm, Kumar Vijay Partap Singh, DIG Border Range, Punjab Police, confirmed that two more terrorists were possibly hiding inside a building in the air base, apparently in the living quarters of IAF personnel. In the late afternoon of 4 January, officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that all six terrorists were killed and combing operations were on.

It took almost 48 hours for the security agencies to eliminate two terrorists. NIA officials informed that the security agencies blew up the building, while carrying out the operation. That’s the reason the bodies of the two terrorists could not be recovered.

But several questions remain unanswered:

• Why didn’t security officials try to catch the terrorists alive when they knew that they are inside the building? Why did they blow up the building?
  
• Without any conclusive evidence, how did the security agencies confirm that the two terrorists were eliminated?
  
• Did the government then mislead the nation by saying that all six terrorists were killed in the operation?
  

NIA Investigations: More Questions Raised Than Answered

Gurdaspur SP Salwinder Singh, who was allegedly abducted by terrorists involved in the Pathankot attack, arrives in New Delhi for questioning. (Photo: PTI)

On Tuesday, SP Salwinder Singh underwent a lie detector test and will also undergo a brain mapping test at AIIMS. Singh’s role continues to be suspicious, although no evidence has been found to establish his involvement with the terrorists. His jeweller friend, Rajesh Verma, is also likely to undergo a lie detector test later.

It is almost two weeks since the NIA registered a case in the Pathankot terror strike. Is it not shocking that investigators have not yet made much progress in the most crucial and incriminating aspect of the investigation?

• The NIA still does not know the route taken by the terrorists to enter the air force base.
  
• The agency does not how many terrorists entered Indian territory before the Pathankot terror attack.
  
• They are still unsure if the terrorists entered on 31 December or before.
  
• The NIA is still unsure if the remains sent to the forensic lab for tests are of the two terrorists.
  
• The NIA is not yet sure of the role of SP Salwinder Singh.
  
• The agency has not yet been able to crack whether any insider assisted the terrorists, although investigators have already questioned several security officials involved in the operation.
  

On 5 January, while briefing the media, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that he could see ‘gaps’ in the Pathankot operations, which will only be cleared after the investigation. But with so many unanswered questions, it is uncertain when, if at all, the investigation will throw light on these ‘gaps’.

Proper Investigation of Dina Nagar Terror Attack Could Have Averted Pathankot

NIA Chief Sarad Kumar, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and J&K Governor NN Vohra at the NIA Day function at DRDO Bhavan in Delhi on Tuesday. (Photo: The Quint)

<p>If Dinanagar would have been properly investigated, Pathankot, I am sure could have been averted, as we would have been able to know the routes taken by the terror groups to infiltrate the international border.<br></p>

<b>NN Vohra, Governor, Jammu and Kashmir</b>

While speaking on NIA Day, NN Vohra, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, pointed out the reluctance of state governments to hand over terror cases to the central investigative agencies; the Punjab government had refused to hand over the probe on the Dina Nagar Police station terror attack to the NIA.

Vohra also said that the BSF, with its limited capacities, cannot guard the international border, a long stretch of over 200 kilometres. He also added that India’s border with Pakistan is not “well-guarded”. He said that he had informed the Centre about it, but there are issues of one “influence or the other”.

In his 45-minute speech, Vohra also suggested that national security concerns be addressed under a separate Ministry, carved out from the Home Ministry and a separate cadre of officials be specially trained to handle these issues.