Pathankot: When did the terrorists infiltrate the air force station?

Pathankot, Jan 5: The first meeting that the National Security Advisor convened was on Jan 1 when an alert was received suggesting that terrorists had infiltrated into Punjab.

It was then decided that the National Security Guards (NSG) would immediately be pressed into service.

[Timeline of Pathankot terror attack]

The intelligence regarding the infiltration of terrorists became extremely clear by Jan 1 itself. It may be recalled that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had been tracking intercepts from Dec 25 itself and it was found at that there would be an attempt to attack Punjab either by the al-Qaeda in the Sub-Continent or the Jaish-e-Mohamamd (JeM).

When did terrorists enter the air base?

There were several communications between New Delhi and Punjab on Jan 1. While there was a state of alert in Punjab since Dec 25 onwards, a red alert had been sounded on Jan 1 when the intercepts became extremely clear.

It has been found that the terrorists came to Punjab in two batches. There is a question that has been raised on whether one batch had entered the air base late on Jan 1 itself.

[Pathankot terror attack: Were terrorists helped by a familiar face on the border?]

Investigations would also show that one batch had entered the air force station earlier and began provided cover fire while the rest entered and engaged with the security forces.

During the communication between Delhi and Punjab the terrorists had already infiltrated.

There was a clear delay in searching for the terrorists despite a complaint by Salwinder Singh, the Superintendent of Police of Gurdaspur who had been abducted.

Further the murder of Ikagar Singh a taxi driver also suggested that there was something fishy. The police are trying to find out why he had left home so late in the night after he got a call from a Pakistan number.

The other bit of information that the police got was when they tracked the mobile phone of the SP to a forest area.

The terrorists after abducting the SP released him but took away his mobile phone and vehicle. They used the same mobile to call Pakistan and this was tracked on Jan 1.

OneIndia News