NEW DELHI : The Home Ministry has ordered an inquiry into lapses on the part of BSF in guarding the international border where three Pakistani terrorists had sneaked into Jammu region and killed ten people, including an Army officer.
The Home Ministry asked Border Security Force chief Subhash Joshi to conduct the inquiry through an Inspector General of Police rank officer to find out how the terrorists could cross the international border and enter India before carrying out the audacious attack on a police station and an Army camp on September 26.
Official sources said preliminary investigation has found that there was a lapse in following the Standard Operating Procedures for police as the guards posted in Hiranagar police station could not fire a single bullet in retaliation.
This had happened despite the fact that the same police station was attacked by terrorists a few years ago.
The initial probe also found that though the police control room in Jammu was informed about the incident immediately, the message did not reach the police pickets posted along the Pathankot-Jammu National Highway along which the terrorists travelled for 40 minutes after attacking the police station.
It has also been found that the Army control room was informed by the police control room about the first attack but the message does not seem to have reached each Army unit located in Jammu region, which resulted in the attack on an Army camp in Samba.
Official sources said there have been increased attempts of infiltration in Jammu region in recent past but most of them were foiled by security forces. (AGENCIES)