LONG CONVOY, INTEL FAILURE: MULTIPLE LAPSES LED TO PULWAMA TERROR ATTACK, FINDS CRPF INQUIRY
An internal inquiry
conducted by CRPF has revealed that multiple intelligence lapses led to the
heavy casualties in the Pulwama terror attack.
The February 14 terror
on a CRPF convoy that killed 40 personnel was a massive intelligence failure,
revealed internal findings of the CRPF. This is in sharp contrast to the stand
taken by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which categorically stated that the
Pulwama terror attack was not an intelligence failure.
The CRPF inquiry
report points out that though there was a general alert regarding an IED threat
during the period, there was no specific threat from a car-borne suicide
bomber. The report stated that no such "input" was shared by any of
the intelligence agencies in Kashmir Valley where the forces were forewarned to
take precautionary steps.
MHA has refused to
acknowledge that the attack was an intelligence failure. Instead, MoS (Home) G
Kishan Reddy had said in June, "J&K is affected by terrorism sponsored
and supported from across the border for the last three decades. Owing to the
policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and sustained action against
terrorists by the security forces, a large number of terrorists have been
neutralized during the past few years. All agencies are working in a
coordinated manner and intelligence inputs are shared among various agencies on
real time basis. The investigation by NIA into the Pulwama terror attack so far
has resulted in identifying the perpetrators."
The CRPF internal
report has now pointed out several lapses by the CRPF, including the unusual
length of the convoy. The inquiry has identified the convoy length among the
reasons behind the failure. On February 14, the CRPF convoy consisting of 78
vehicles and 2,547 transients left Jammu for Srinagar. Sources said, not only
was it easier to identify the convoy from afar, but it also made information
leak much easier. The internal report also pointed out allowing civilian
vehicle movement during convoy movement had cost the CRPF dearly.
The inquiry also found
out the reason behind the unusually long convoy. The report has stated that
since February 4, no vehicles were plying on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on
account of heavy snowfall and there were personnel on leave, posting and
deployment. At about 3.33 pm on the fateful day, as the convoy neared mile
stone 272, the suicide bomber blasted off the vehicle-borne IED and targeted
'Bus Reg no HR 49F 0637 of 76 Battalion CRPF'.
The vehicle under
target was 5th in sequence in the convoy. Sources said, Standard Operating
Procedure (SOP) was followed after the attack. Sources also said, "As per
rules, there has to be a gap between every four vehicles, which was done even
in this case, which is why the impact was on one vehicle only."
Officials said the
inquiry also found a video taken from atop a stationary CRPF bunker vehicle,
which showed that ASI Mohan Lal on ROP duty tried to physically stop the
vehicle that was being driven by the suicide bomber, a Jaish-e-Mohammed
terrorist identified as Adil Ahmad Dar. The SUV moved in zigzags before driving
into the convoy. The inquiry has recommended posthumous gallantry award for ASI
Mohan Lal, a resident of Uttarkashi's Barkot village, who was blown to
smithereens. In the last few seconds before his death, the ASI showed immense
courage by trying to stop the raging vehicle.
Sources said that the
15-page report was submitted to DG, CRPF in May, with his observations noted
and put up before the court of inquiry. However, DG RR Bhatnagar said,
"The report has not reached my table, so I cannot comment since I have not
seen the report." Sources said that the current situation in the Valley
had further delayed the final report as the board of officers have been tasked
with maintaining law and order in the Valley. An officer who wished to remain
anonymous said, "The board will sit down once situation in the Valley is
normal."
The board will also
take stock of the damages incurred by the CRPF. Besides the irreparable human
loss, the board will also decide the losses in terms of vehicle damage and
weapons destroyed. While there were 39 people onboard the ill-fated CRPF
vehicle, there were only 4 weapons in it, mostly AK-47s. The servicemen in
transit would have got their weapons only when they reached their respective
units.
Top sources in CRPF
said that the force had taken immediate action in the aftermath of the Pulwama
attack. It had not waited for the COI. However, CRPF continues to have long
convoys, a senior officer said, since other precautions have been taken. Meanwhile,
CRPF has said in a statement, "There are some reports appearing in certain
print/electronic media about a CRPF internal inquiry of Pulwama incident. It is
clarified that the conclusion drawn in the article is not founded on the report
of CRPF."
Source: India Today – 04 September 2019
By: Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu
By: Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu
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