Fidayeen appreciates bravery of CRPF officer

Lucknow, Feb 10 (UNI) The valour of the gutsy paramilitary official who tried to thwart the fidayeen attack on the CRPF group centre at Rampur on January I, found an admirer in none other than one of the terrorists involved in the daring attack.

The six terrorists arrested from Rampur and Lucknow early today told interrogators at least one of them (fidayeen) could have been killed by the CRPF official who came to the rescue of his colleagues during the New Year attack.

State Director General of Police (DGP) Vikram Singh said one of the Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT) fidayeens arrested by the Special Task Force appreciated the valour of the official who nearly killed him.

''But the rifle he picked up to take on the terrorists perhaps jammed,'' said the DGP.

''The official was returing from a New Year bash on his scooter (two-wheeler) with his wife and daughter...when he saw the attack was going on. He rushed to grab a rifle but it jammed,'' the DGP said.

The heroic deed of the yet unidentified official was made public for the first time. To a poser on whether he knew about the official before the arrest of the terrorists, the DGP said he was not aware and was telling what the terrorists have admitted before the investigators.

The DGP said according to the arrested militants' version, CRPF sentries were sitting before a bonfire when the attack took place.

The admission seconds the claims of the Union and Uttar Pradesh governments that the CRPF was not alert towards a possible attack.

Two senior CRPF officials were suspended soon after the attack.

After the black Friday of November 23, 2007 when serial blasts rocked three district courts in Uttar Pradesh, the Intelligence Bureau had cautioned the UP government of possible terrorist attack on police recruitment rallies or establishment. In a specific advisory issued on November 27, the agency had asked the UP government to step up its vigil in the state, particularly at the recruitment rallies and near police establishments. During the period, recruitment drive was underway at the CRPF group centre in Rampur.

UNI NAB HS KN1631