Just days after a fidayeen squad of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) targeted the IAF airbase in Pathankot, complacency seems to have set in among the security personnel manning the crucial Jammu-Pathankot Highway that was put on high alert to prevent a similar strike.
In fact, there’s also a poor vigil along the interior roads leading to villages along the International Border.
A drive down the 80-km stretch of the highway between Jammu and Kathua by this correspondent during the day last week found only one quick reaction team (QRT) van and complete absence of random checking of vehicles.
Most of the jawans deployed at the less than half-a-dozen security checkpoints along the route remain ill prepared to effectively counter a militant strike.
They have neither been provided with bulletproof jackets nor any sophisticated weapons to tackle the heavily armed militants. In fact, some jawans carry only ‘lathis’ and are seen loitering far away from the security checkpoints.
Even highway patrol vans were nowhere to be seen on the sensitive highway dotted with numerous security installations. The temporary security checkpoints remained deserted during most part of the day.
Though the State police has fixed CCTVs at some vantage locations to record movement of vehicles, nevertheless, when it comes to enhancing the physical presence of police force in the area it has failed to do so despite receiving fresh intelligence that fidayeen groups may now target security installations in Jammu and Udhampur ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.
What is more alarming is the fact that the lax security measures continue despite six fidayeen strikes between September 2013 and March 2015 on vital security installations along the Jammu-Patahnkot National Highway.
Immediately after the Pathankot airbase was attacked, a general alert was sounded in the neighbouring State of Jammu & Kashmir to prevent repeat of similar terror strikes.
The high value targets and security installations along the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway were alerted as terror groups have carried out spectacular strikes on these locations at regular intervals in the past.
For the initial few days the high-alert was visible on ground zero and highway checking points along the border routes were activated too.
Also, a high-level security review was carried out by Director General of State Police K Rajendra, along with senior officers of the State police, to take stock of the prevailing security situation.
Governor NN Vohra, after the imposition of the Governor’s rule in the State, also chaired a high-level security review meeting and ordered a security audit of the vital civil and military establishment in the State by January 21.
To contain the damage, the Army has already rushed special forces to these places to cut the response time in the event of such eventuality but poor policing along the border routes may compound their miseries if they failed to contain them.
Even some of the border police posts and police stations are struggling to show their presence due to scanty staff strength.
Every time fidayeens targeted Army camps they came via Hiranagar, Kathua, Arnia route and hijacked a local carrier to reach their target. Due to poor checking on the highway they managed to breach the security cordons and came close to their targets without facing significant resistance.
The Army authorities have fortified their camps, set up watch towers along the highway and maintain round the clock vigil to secure their camps but in general, the border roads connecting the Jammu-Pathankot highway lack proper vigil and presence of adequate manpower.