Timeline Refresh
Salwinder Singh has been constantly changing his statement on how he came in contact with the terrorists who attacked the Air Force base and what happened when he was with them.
Sharad Kumar has said that at present Singh is being looked at as an eyewitness by the agency, but the NIA does not rule out taking action against him depending on what emerges after questioning.
A team of NIA officials is likely to question Salwinder Singh very soon.
The agency has filed a separate FIR against the terrorists for abducting the SP and slitting the throat of one person.
On Monday, NIA sleuths interrogated Gurdaspur Superintendent of Police Salwinder Singh and his cook, who were abducted last Thursday by the terrorists who went on to attack the air base the following day.
According to media reports, the blue beacon atop Salwinder Singh's Mahindra XUV helped the terrorists get past several police checkposts on Friday. It is suspected that the same lot of terrorists entered the Pathankot airbase because the SUV was found abandoned a little over 500 metres away.
Madan Gopal, Salwinder's cook who was in the officer's car while it was being commandeered by the terrorists, told journalists in Gurdaspur that he had been beaten by Punjab police even after telling them of the events of the night before the attack on the Pathankot airbase.
According to information gleaned from journalists in Gurdaspur, Gopal said he was returning with Salwinder and the officer's friend, Rajesh Verma, from a shrine. It was close to midnight when five men in military uniforms and carrying rifles stopped the vehicle near a village named Kuliyan. The men were standing by another car that seemed to have crashed. It later transpired that the driver of that car had been knifed to death.
Gangster Chhota Rajan, who is the prime accused in the case, was allegedly upset with two articles written by Dey and therefore ordered his killing. Journalist Jigna Vora who is now out on bail, allegedly instigated Rajan, owing to her own professional rivalry with Dey.
Dey, a veteran crime reporter, was shot dead in Powai on June 11, 2011. The first charge sheet named the arrested accused Satiah Kaliya, Abhijeet Shinde, Arun Dake, Sachin Gaikwad, Anil Waghmode, Nilesh Shendge, Mangesh Agawane, Vinod Asrani, Paulson Joseph and Deepak Sisodia.
The directive has come after intelligence inputs suggested that there could be 6 to 10 Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists who had crossed over to India from Pakistan through Punjab in recent past. Sources said six suspected JeM terrorists were killed in the Pathankot air base after three days of fierce gun battle, but there is a possibility of a few remaining at large.
Besides, according to a Punjab Police input, there could 15 terrorists who have breached the International Border and had entered India from Pakistan.
The DNA test of the six killed terrorists will be conducted as early as possible while the details of the phone calls made by the terrorists to their Pakistan-based handler are being prepared to be sent to Pakistan.
All these will be sent through an LR so that the Pakistani authorities could take forward the case in that country, official sources said today.
LR is a formal request from a court to a foreign court for some type of judicial assistance. The most common remedies sought by letters rogatory are service of process and taking of evidence.
Security agencies believe that through the call details, Pakistani authorities could reach the mother of one of the terrorists who had telephoned her saying he was on a suicide mission. The DNA samples would also help to establish that one of the terrorists was her son. Besides, the terrorists have made multiple calls to their handlers, believed to be based in Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab, which is headquarters of terror group Jaish-e- Mohammad. JeM is suspected to be behind the attack in Pathankot air base. Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif today gave an assurance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that "prompt and decisive action" will be taken against the terrorists behind the Pathankot attack after Modi pressed for immediate steps on "specific and actionable" information provided to them. Modi received a call this afternoon from Sharif regarding the terror attack on the Pathankot airbase.
Addressing a news conference after a visit to the forward base, he said the terrorists were neutralised in an operation that lasted for more than 36 hours since 3.30 am on Saturday but combing operations are still on.
"There is no suspected terrorist inside right now. (still) I will not give a negative report till the combing operations are over. The combing operations may be over by tomorrow," he said in reply to questions.
Parrikar announced that all those seven security personnel killed during the attack will be treated as martyrs that will entitle them to all the benefits available to "battle casualty" like in war-like situation.
He said the terrorists were carrying 40-50 kgs of bullets, mortars, which were fired from modified Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher besides some magazines.
Replying to questions, he said "I see some gaps. But I do not think there is any compromise on security". Once the investigations are over, things will become clear, he said, adding every security detail cannot be discussed and keep something for investigation.
Parrikar said that he was worried as to how the terrorists had managed to come inside the base which has a perimeter of 24 kms and located in an area of about 2,000 acres.
Asked about the Pakistani connection, he said there are indications that some of these equipment are made in Pakistan. Parrikar said except the Garud commando, no one else was killed in direct operation.
"Five Defence Securiuty Corps personnel died because more of a bad luck. One of them Jagdish Chandra virtually grappled with the terrorist before killing him," he said hailing them as martyrs who made their supreme sacrifice.
Calling the counter-terror operation as "very difficult", Parrikar said that all assets--strategic and buildings--and the families, were secured. The only building that was damaged is the one in which the terrorists were holed up, he said.
He complimented the joint efforts of Army, Air Force, and the National Security Guards (NSG) and said that they should undertake joint training in future.
Brushing aside criticism over opting for NSG for the main role rather than the Special Forces of the Army, he said "50 per cent of the NSG is made up of the Army only. All assets were provided by the Army and they worked together smoothly".
The Minister said the initial focus was to secure all the assets at the base where 3,000 families were staying besides the foreign trainees from five to six countries.
Asked about the failure of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in stopping the infiltration from Pakistan, Parrikar referred to media reports which said that "the BSF has already been asked to give details of areas from where terrorists could have entered".
He said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the case and it will not be proper for him to divulge details as it was the matter of ongoing investigation. Parrikar said a security audit of all defence installations is being carried out. According to the details given by him, the encounter started at 3:30 am on Saturday and the last contact with the terrorists was made at about 7:30 pm on Sunday.
Parrikar said the operations after that was for combing purpose as there were a lot of live bombs and hence there was delay in retrieving the body. He added that the body of the sixth terrorist was yet to be retrieved as agencies apprehend it could be a booby-trap. "I have said there is no need to rush," he said adding that the forces should take its time to avoid any more casualty. "We cannot take a risk. We have already lost one personnel in a booby trap. We should not lose any more," the minister said.
The Pakistan PM called PM Modi at 3:45 pm and condemned the attack on the airbase in Pathankot. Sharif instructed NSA Nasser Janjua and foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz to coordinate with India and act on India's demands. Sharif told Modi he is upset with this attack and requested the PM to continue on the road map to peace they had decided on.
The Indian government has told Pakistan that the ball is now in Pakistan's court to take action against terrorists. Still no final decision on whether Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet next week.
The eminent ghazal singer's concerts in October last year were cancelled after protests by the Shiv Sena.
Meanwhile, Defence minister Manohar Parrikar holds a press conference in Pathankot. Parrikar who reached the airforce base in Pathankot this afternoon was briefed about the combing ops which are on now. Indian Army chief General Dalbir Singh and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha were accompanying the minister. The top military brass will also meet the families of martyrs.
Parrikar said he visited the spot where the encounter took place and said he saluted the bravery of the armed forces.
He said six terrorists have been neutralised, but combing operations are still on and are likely to end tomorrow. DNA tests will be conducted on the bodies of the terrorists. One terrorist still has a grenade strapped to his body. "I've ordered it be destroyed where he's lying, we've lost one life due to a booby trap," Parrikar said. "All strategic assets of the airforce base are safe. I see some gaps (security related) that will be cleared after the investigation," he said.
Combing ops are on for more than 80 hours now.
Just ahead of the defence minister's presser there has been a controlled explosion from a recovered explosive material. A loud explosion was heard from inside Pathankot air base.
All those who were martyred and inhjured in the Pathankot ops will be treated as battle casualties so that their families receive all the benefits that go to martyrs in battle..
Combing and search operations will continue till "we are able to fully render the base safe", National Security Guard IG Major General Dushant Singh has said.
Following a meeting of the National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Monday assets at the base were safe.
Tendulkar, who once held the record for the biggest partnership in school cricket with friend and former Test cricketer Vinod Kambli, congratulated Pranav on becoming the first cricketer ever to cross the four-digit mark in the history of cricket.
Congrats #PranavDhanawade on being the first ever to score 1000 runs in an innings. Well done and work hard. You need to scale new peaks!, Tendulkar tweeted.
Pranav scored 1009 runs off just 323 balls with the help of 59 sixes and 129 fours in an Under-16 school tournament organised by the Mumbai Cricket Association.
Read Ajai Shukla's column here.
Read Ajai Shukla's column here.
Pranav now holds the record for the highest individual score in any form of cricket.
The team, led by T V S N Prasad, Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry, also praised the state government for the rescue, relief and restoration work.
Jayalalithaa, who has demanded a Central assistance of Rs 25,912 crore, told the visiting team of officials that the requirement of funds for relief and restoration of infrastructure "are well beyond the resources available with the state."
She requested the Central team "to make an in-depth assessment of the damage suffered by the state and to submit its report to the Ministry of Home Affairs expeditiously." Jayalalithaa's address to the Central team was released by the government to the media.
Pic: The Porur area of Chennai last month
Jaitley, who had sued the Delhi Chief Minister is appearing before the court for a second time
The Union minister has taken Kejriwal and five leaders of his Aam Aadmi Party to court for accusing him of corruption at the Delhi cricket board which he headed for under his 13-year stewardship.
On December 21, Jaitley had personally visited the court to file the case. He has also filed a civil suit demanding Rs. 10 crore in damages.
Pic: Arun Jaitley when he had appeared in court in the defamation case on December 21.
Read the report here.
This is the second blast in less than 48 hours. An intense 25-hour gun battle between security forces and terrorists outside the Indian Consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif came to an end on Monday night after all the attackers who attempted to storm the building were gunned down. "The clearance operation is over and all the terrorists have been killed,' said provincial police chief Sayed Kamal Sadat, according to AFP.
File pic of the attack on the Indian consulate in the Afghan city of Herat in 2014
Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's approach on the day of the parliament attack in 2001 was to rush the army to the borders.But Modi's approach seems to be different. After the dust settles in Pathankot there will be political pressure on Modi to have aline of command and ensure that the National Security Advisor (Ajit Doval) also consults senior Union ministers as well instead of keeping only the PMO informed of his achievements.
"I informed the police as soon as I could. I completed my responsibility. They believed me completely. If you expect that I must have fought against them, then they would have killed me. They were five armed men," he said.
Narrating the incident, Singh said, "When we stopped the car, five persons rushed towards me. Those people had AK 47 with them. They did not ask us the way. They had GPRS with them." Singh further said the terrorists took his mobile phone and spoke in Urdu.
"One of them said 'Salam alaikum' and hung up. They were talking to their commander, I think," he added.
The National Investigating Agency yesterday registered three cases to probe the conspiracy behind the Pathankot terror attack. The first of the three cases pertains to the Gurdaspur SP's abduction.
Security forces continued search and combing operation inside the Pathankot airbase on Tuesday - the fourth day after the attack on the frontline Air Force Station (AFS) by terrorists. A military official said a fifth terrorist was killed on the third day of a siege and at least one attacker remained in the complex, as troops worked to secure the sprawling compound
NIA sources told India Today that one of the terrorists was wearing Epcot brand of shoes. Epcot is a popular brand in Pakistan.
Each terrorist was carrying 20-25 kg of explosives, hand grenades besides assault weapons.
A NIA team, which has been tasked to probe the brazen Pathankot attack, has reached the air base.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar alongwith the Air Force and Army chiefs will be visiting the air base later today.
Pic: A jawan keeps watch on the border as the mopping up operations entered the fourth day.
"On the attack on Mazar-e-Sharif, obviously, it is an attack we condemn. Especially in light of what we've said, an attack on a diplomatic outpost -- that needs to be protected," Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric told PTI when asked to comment on the terror attack on the Indian Consulate and the assault on the Pathankot Air Force base. On the terror attack on the Pathankot air base, Dujarric said he did not have any comment as the operation there was ongoing.
Nisha Desai Biswal is an Indian-American who is Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs in the United States Department of State.
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