NIA steps up probe into terror attack, quizzes police officer

PTI
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 6

Seeking to unravel how the brazen Pathankot attack was mounted, the NIA today quizzed an SP rank officer who was allegedly abducted by the terrorists, recreated the scene of his abduction and visited the border village from where the perpetrators were believed to have sneaked into India.
A team of NIA, central agency created after 26/11 Mumbai attacks to probe terror-related cases, quizzed Salwinder Singh in Pathankot after he had earlier recorded his statement before the Punjab Police claiming five terrorists had kidnapped him, official sources said.
There were some discrepancies in the statement of Singh which were being looked into, the sources said.
They said Singh was taken to the places he had visited before he, along with his jeweller friend Rajesh Kumar Verma and cook Madan Gopal, was kidnapped.
Singh, who is facing charges of alleged breach of discipline and was transferred recently as Assistant Commandant of 75th battalion of Punjab Armed Police, had claimed that he was returning from a temple at 11 PM when terrorists kidnapped him.
The NIA also recorded the statement of caretaker of the shrine who is believed to have told him that Madan Gopal and Verma had come during day time on December 31 only to return in the evening.
The caretaker was quoted in some television channels as having said that he was not aware about why Gopal, who happens to be his relative also, had come on two occasions that day.
The NIA plans to question Verma and Gopal again as there were some discrepancies in the account of the kidnapping incident that preceded the terror attack at Pathankot air force base given by all the three, sources said.
Singh had told Punjab Police in his statement that after he and his co-passengers were kidnapped, he was blindfolded.
He claimed that the terrorists were speaking in Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and Kashmiri. However, he got confused when he was made to listen to Kashmiri language and could not confirm if it was spoken by the terrorists.
A separate team of NIA visited Bamiyal village from where the militants are believed to have entered into the Indian territory, they said. .

Terrorism incidents rise when BJP is in power: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday attacked the BJP, saying whenever the party has been in power at the Centre, the incidnets of terrorism have gone up.
“Last 19 months of Modi government have seen 900 border ceasefire violations on India-Pakistan Border with 19 jawans and 34 civilians having lost their lives,” Congress leader and former home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde told the media here.
“Even Border Security Force (BSF) has admitted that there has been 35 percent hike in infiltrations from across the Pakistan border in last one year,” he said.
Shinde said there have been “three major terrorist attacks from Pakistan in last six months – two in Punjab and one in Jammu and Kashmir”.
“In 1999, IC-184 hijack happened. The then foreign minister accompanied terrorists to Kandahar and released them. During NDA-I, there were hijackings, attacks on Red Fort, Jammu and Kashmir assembly and parliament. Whenever BJP comes to power, terrorism increases,” Shinde added.
He also opted to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Pathankot air force base attack, saying the government failed to protect the country.
“The Modi government has failed to protect the country. If this government continues like this, then instead of ‘achhe din’, it looks like we may lose our country to terrorists,” said Shinde.
“Modiji used to say UPA ministers served ‘biryani’ to Pakistan, what now? He himself went to meet (Pakistan Prime Minister) Nawaz Sharif. What did he discuss there? Were there any press releases? We are in the dark about what they discussed,” the former union home minister said.
Shinde said the National Democratic Alliance government should send a clear signal to Pakistan that terrorist attacks would not be tolerated. “India can be a friend of Pakistan but that country should take action against terrorism.”
The Congress leader, however, lauded the armed forces for their prompt action in combing operation at the Pathankot air base. “The work of our brave soldiers should be lauded.”
Shinde also posed a few pointed questions to the prime minister.
“Why is BJP government and PM Modi shying away from calling Pathankot air base attackers as ‘Pakistani terrorists’? Why did Prime Minister Modi or his home/defence minister not take control of the entire Pathankot operation putting a clear-cut command and control structure on the ground to lead the operation?”
“Why couldn’t the Akali Dal-BJP led Punjab government act on intelligence and operational input that it received at 3.34 a.m. on the night intervening December 31 and January 1?” the Congress leader asked.

Govt will ensure adequate field for women in police: Rajnath

Acknowledging that women are deprived from getting their due representation in various fields, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said his government will ensure that females get “sufficient” identity in country’s police forces and are provided better facilities.
Singh stressed there should be no difference between what is said and done in this regard and hence his government has announced that women will soon account for 33 per cent of constable-rank personnel in central paramilitary forces like CRPF and CISF and 15 per cent in the border guarding forces of BSF, SSB and ITBP.
He made these comments while inaugurating the 7th national conference on women in police at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Academy here.
“I agree women do not get representation as much as they should…I want to assure that there will be sufficient representation for women in police forces in this government.
I will not call it reservation but definitely we will strive for adequate representation (for women),” he said.
He said the Union Home Ministry has recently issued directions in this regard for central police organisations and forces even as various states and Union Territories have been sent advisories in this regard in the past.
The Minister said the Indian history and culture is replete with examples where women have not only been given equal but a higher position than the males.
“We want to make a proud, resilient and strong India and this goal cannot be achieved by overlooking one half of the population (that is women),” he said.
Calling himself a votary of providing more rights to the fair sex, the Minister added he made it sure in the political party he comes from (BJP), that women have 33 per cent representation.
Stating that women in India are not only equal but are ahead of men in various arenas, he said his government will do everything so that they get equal opportunities in every sphere.
He also criticised those who do not treat women with respect like the Witchcraft Act where a women was killed by terming her a witch.
“In our culture women are equated with gods. It is said where women are respected, god lives there…,” he said.
The three-day conference is aimed to bring out new ideas for enhancing the role of women in police forces which will ultimately better the image of the police in general.
At the end of the deliberations, which will be attended from a constable to a Director General of Police rank official, a report will be submitted to the government for necessary action and policy formulation.