Abducted SP's inputs were shared: Punjab DGP

Pathankot, Jan 5: Punjab today dismissed reports that it had not acted on the inputs given by the abducted Gurdaspur SP, who had reportedly claimed that had the authorities acted on his information the Pathankot terror attack could have been averted.

"It was immediately shared," Punjab's Director General of Police Suresh Arora told a news conference here when asked about the SP's information whether it was shared with the Centre.

Asked if there was any failure on part of Punjab police despite an alert warning possibility of a terror attack, he said, "it has never happened that if the alert is there that it has not been shared. We know it was shared, investigations will prove all this."

The SP, however, today maintained that he had immediately informed his seniors about the incident of his kidnap and release.

After that the DGP, ADGP and other senior officers reached Pathankot, he said, adding "police swung into action and laid nakas (check posts) at various points."

The DGP said NIA and Punjab police will jointly probe the Pathankot terror attack incident.

"NIA has taken over the investigation into the terror attack incident. NIA and Punjab police will investigate the case jointly," he said.

Arora said three cases have been registered.

"One case pertains to encounter in air force base station, another was registered on the statement of the SP and the third one pertains to murder of Ikagar Singh, driver of Innova vehicle," he said.

When asked that the FIR mentions the name of Jaish-e-Mohammed militant outfit, DGP said a slip was recovered from the SP's vehicle which carried the name of the outfit and which is being verified.

To another question, he said whenever such incidents occur, a detailed report from police department goes to state government and the Centre. When asked why the SP's vehicle was not stopped at the police nakas, DGP said, "that is a matter of investigation".

PTI