Udhampur attack: Did police miss a clear warning signal?

There are lessons to be learnt from every terror attack. The case is no different in the Udhampur terror attack too where some glaring errors have been noted by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) in its chargesheet that was filed yesterday.

Did the security forces miss a vital clue days prior to the attack? Had this hideout that was busted by the security forces been taken seriously the attack could have been stopped?

The NIA chargesheet that runs into 58 pages speaks of a shed that was found at the Wuyan village in Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir. [NIA files chargesheet in Udhampur terror attack case]

The police had found this shed and even seized incriminating material such as GPS sets, 'Made in Pakistan' medicine and night vision devices. However, it appears that it was left at that.

Was this shed a hide out?

In the run up to the Udhampur terror attack in which two BSF personnel were killed, there were several terrorists from Pakistan who had infiltrated into Kashmir. Many were being brought in by the local handlers and kept at safe hideouts and one of them included the one found at the Wuyan hills.

When the NIA questioned the lone captured terrorist, Mohammad Naved, he said that he too had been shifted to this hideout a couple of times. I had visited this hideout a couple of times between June and July 2014. The hideout was finally discovered on July 25th by the police.

The question is now did the police take the case forward after discovering the hideout. The material that was found at the hideout clearly indicate that it was being used for a clandestine activity. Moreover, the Made in Pakistan medicines also did not raise enough concern it appears.