CRPF unit was first to respond to Pahalgam attack, in 30 minutes

Animesh Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 26

The government has admitted intelligence lapses that led to the Pahalgam terror attack, primarily as there was no presence of security personnel in the Baisaran meadow, where 26 civilians were gunned down by LeT terrorists. However, it was a team of CRPF personnel that was the first to respond after some pony operators informed them about gunshots being fired in the meadow.

According to sources privy to development, a unit of the CRPF, which was stationed in Pahalgam town, around six kilometres from Baisaran, reached the spot in half an hour on foot, immediately after getting inputs about the attack from a group of pony operators, who alerted them while escaping on their way downhill.

One can reach the meadow by foot or on horseback. The sources said the CRPF unit was in Pahalgam and not stationed in the Baisaran meadow, as it operates under the J&K Police.

The meadow was reportedly opened to tourists without police permission and the Army personnel were reportedly asked to stay away from tourist places as per government policy, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is learnt to have said during the all party-meeting convened after the attack.

Since the CRPF operates under the J&K Police, its unit was stationed in Pahalgam, said the sources.

Meanwhile there is no official word on whether the police or the paramilitary presence is to be enhanced in Pahalgam after the terror attack, even as sources said that massive combing operations were going on to look for the suspected terrorists.

While the Army personnel are combing the higher reaches, the paramilitary personnel are searching for the attackers in and around Pahalgam.

Also there is no clarity on the count of terrorists who were involved in the incident and whether those whose pictures have been released by the J&K Police, based on eyewitness account, are the actual suspects.

In a related development, BSF DG Daljit Singh Chawdhary met Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan during the day, with sources indicating that the meeting could be a part of government’s efforts to ensure proper checks and balances to prevent prospective attacks in other parts of J&K and strengthen borders to check infiltration.

As per intelligence sources, Pulwama and Baramulla districts face potential threats from terrorists as around 45 to 50 foreign terrorists are learnt to be operating in Pulwama and around 55 to 60 are said to be active in Baramulla.

‘No police permit for tourists at meadow’

The meadow was reportedly opened to tourists without the permission of the police and the Army personnel were reportedly asked to stay away from tourist places as per government policy, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is learnt to have said during the all party-meeting convened after the attack on April 24.

India