Security lapses exposed BSF post 8212; Report

NEW DELHI, MARCH 6: Findings of the court of inquiry into the first-ever strike by Kashmir militants at the BSF headquarters in Bandipore ...

NEW DELHI, MARCH 6: Findings of the court of inquiry into the first-ever strike by Kashmir militants at the BSF headquarters in Bandipore in July last year in which four people, including a DIG died, have severely indicted senior officials for 8220;most unbecoming conduct and cowardice8221;.

The court of inquiry concluded last week and has recommended court martial proceedings against 13 officials. The inquiry, which has revealed shocking security lapses, was carried out by the BSF to find out how two militants managed to break into the Bandipore sector headquarters of the BSF and hold personnel inside hostage. The incident sent shockwaves in the security establishment.

The National Security Guard NSG conducted a commando operation to free the hostages inside the building which the court martial deemed 8220;unnecessary8221;. The court of inquiry has held that some of the officials indicted, who were present inside the building, 8220;displayed most unbecoming conduct of hiding inside their quarters, not giving any indication of well-being.8221; This forced the NSG to perform a rescue operation since there was confusion about them being held hostage.

Court martial proceedings have been ordered against A K Yadav, second in command 39 battalion, Aziz Khan, deputy commandant, Ram Avtar Singh, CKerketta, sub-inspectors, Man Singh, assistant sub-inspector, S C Dulai, head constable, and Joginder Singh, Sarjan Singh, S B Thapa, Harendra Kumar, Prem Chand, P G Deogan and Manohar Lal.

The inquiry found out that the BSF personnel stationed at Bandipore 8220;were not alert and those posted near the perimeter security were absent from their place of duty.8221;

This may have led to the militants breaching the perimeter security of the heavily fortified building with ease, concludes the inquiry.

Yadav, the senior-most official among those present, has been charged with 8220;not exercising proper supervision to ensure adequate security measures and not conducting proper check of guards/sentries8221;.

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The inquiry has also found that some officials posted for doing naka8217; duty patrol duty were simply fudging the records and were actually avoiding patrol duty.

About Ram Avtar Singh, who was in-charge of the patrol duty according to the court of inquiry, the inquiry mentions: 8220;Singh did not go on naka duty despite being in-charge of the naka patrol8221;.

Similar lapses were detected on the part of the other officials. In the case of two officials, Surjan Singh and S B Thapa, the court of inquiry has concluded that 8220;they were not alert and worse, were absent from their place of duty8221;.

Even after the initial burst of fire from the militant8217;s AK 47, Joginder Singh, an official who was present in the perimeter security ring, according to the court of inquiry, 8220;was not occupying the post and did not even react after hearing the initial fire8221;.