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Editorial

After Dinanagar fiasco, another intelligence faliure mocks Punjab Police

January 02, 2016 03:03 PM
Satinder Bains

By Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: The terrorist attack on Army airbase in Pathankot and kidnapping of a Superintendent of Police by armed terrorists a day before the attack has ripped apart the tall claims of high security alert in border areas made by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM and home minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The terrorists claimed to be from Paskistan have not only executed their plan to strike at will but also mocked the Punjab Police. The police had launched a manhunt on Friday after the terrorists had kidnapped the SP and two of his co-passengers travelling in Xylo SUV. Why the terrorists slit the throat of friend of SP. Why SP was left unharmed and he was travelling without his security men attached with him ? and why intelligence agencies, particularly in border district failed to gather information about movement of suspected terrorists ? These questions would haunt the police and political leadership of state for quite some time.

The Punjab Police and Border Security Force(BSF) had no intelligence input about the terrorist attack on Police station in Dinangar on July 27, 2015. Punjab Police IG intelligence Hardip Singh Dhillon was then shifted out to cover up the gross failure. However change in incumbent has not changed the policing. As a matter of fact posting in intelligence department is considered a punishment in the police.

The kidnapping of a police officer of SP rank by the armed terrorists was an open challenge by the terrorists and they remained untraced for over 12 hours. It is anybody's guess why the combing operation by Punjab Police failed to trace the terrorists. It was not only an inteliigence failure but also a blot on the face of Punjab Police which seems to have surrendered to the political masters. It reflects the sagging morale of the police
and a reminder of the fact that not allowing police to perform independently would take the toll of national security and honour.

This is right time when center government shall intervene and take up the matter in its hands in larger national interests. Punjab Government led by Parkash Singh Badal had not allowed the central agencies to interfere in the investigation of Dinanagar terror attack and nor the army was involved in the operation to deal with terrorists. Had the operation be conducted by the army, some of the terrorists might have been arrested alive. Had Punjab Police be so competant in dealing with cross border terrorism, why such type of incidents are being repeated time and again.

Border Security Force on the other hand had claimed that terrorosts involved in Dinanagar attack had not cross from international border. Now again same question would be issue of conflict between BSF and the state government. Punjab Police is claiming that Pakistani terrorists are involved in Pathankot air base attack.

Would BSF come forward with its version. It is matter of concern that none of the terrorists killed in Dinanagar attack was identified so far. All four terrorists involved in Pathankot air base attack are also killed. It is doubtfull, they will be ever identified.

The statrment issued by Deputy Chief Minister that Punjab Police was ever fully prepared is good only for a lauch. He should work to depolitcize the police force and let the rule of law prevail in Punjab.

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