Learning lessons in the aftermath of the ‘horrific killing’ of 26 innocent citizens by a heavily armed group of terrorists in the Baisaran valley of Pahalgam on April 22, the Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force,(CRPF) GP Singh has now directed the CRPF officers to undertake independent operations in Jammu and Kashmir and ensure that the area they are deployed in is kept safe.
These instructions were relayed to the commanding officers of the CRPF deployed in Jammu and Kashmir during a video conference meeting chaired by the DG, CRPF, along with the senior CRPF officers and the Commanding officer of the 116th battalion.
Highly placed sources confirmed to The Pioneer that during the meeting, DG CRPF also directed the Inspector General of Kashmir Zone to seek minute-by-minute details from the commanding officer on how the terrorist attack took place and if there was any lapse on the part of the unit. The commanding officer of its Pahalgam unit, along with his quick-action team commandos, was the first to reach Baisaran meadow, where terrorists shot 26 people dead on April 22. During the threadbare discussions with the CRPF officers deployed in the valley, the Director General was also apprised that the force is deployed “in aid” of the Union Territory and its police and hence cannot act on its own. “The CRPF unit gets deployed on the instructions of Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the CRPF was not entrusted with the security of the Baisaran area that day, “ the CRPF officers reportedly informed the DG during the briefing.
In response, the Director General is learnt to have made it clear that CRPF should undertake independent operations in Jammu and Kashmir and ensure that the area they are deployed in is kept safe. Focusing on the response of the CRPF unit immediately after the terror attack took place in Baisaran on April 22, the CRPF officers said the commanding officer and his quick action team displayed “great courage” while responding to the situation and reached the spot at around 2.30 pm, taking 40-45 minutes on the steep climb to the meadows, after ponywallahs running down informed them about the killings. They said the apparent “pulling up” instead of recognition will “demoralise” the unit’s personnel and the commanding officer, who responded swiftly to the
situation with “bare essentials and not knowing the actual threat on top of the meadows.”
After receiving the briefing, the Director General “appreciated” the unit’s prompt response while underlining that the
“primary responsibility of CRPF and other security agencies is to keep people safe.
The Director General has also sought details from the commanding officer on “what actions were taken to prevent such an attack at a tourist destination, which is just about 6 kilometres from the battalion base.” On April 22, the CRPF unit had rescued three men who were shot, but one of them died while being shifted to the hospital. Rajesh Kumar, the commanding officer of the CRPF battalion, was moving out of the camp when he saw a number of “ponywallahs” and some tourists pacing down hurriedly from the heights, prompting him to stop them and ask questions. The ponywallahs said, “sahab, kuch hua hai upar Baisaran mein, Shayad goliyan chali hain (sir, something has happened at Baisaran, Bullets have probably been fired)”, the officials said. The CO immediately asked his QAT, stationed nearby, to report and a team of about 25 commandos soon began the 40-45 minute trek on the slushy and rocky track to reach the meadow.
The troops, the officials said, were mindful while climbing up as there was a huge possibility of pin-pointed fire coming from the top or a grenade being lobbed by the terrorists.
In the meantime, the local CRPF unit erected checkposts around Pahalgam town and “secured” vantage points near the incident spot.
Assistant Commandant Raashi Sikarwar, who joined in, was “tasked by the commanding officer to take care of women and children as many of them were injured, screaming and scared”.
The injured were evacuated by the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) QAT personnel even as they did a brief combing of the area to look for the assailants as it was “clear in their minds that it was a terrorist attack”.
The local station house officer (SHO) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police had arrived at the scene by then and the two forces joined efforts to take control of the situation.
India issues NOTAM
The Indian Air Force will carry out a two-day mega military exercise along the border with Pakistan from Wednesday that will involve all the frontline fighter jets including Rafale, Su-30 and Jaguar aircraft, sources in the defence establishment said on Tuesday.
The exercise is taking place amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
India's civil aviation authorities have already issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for the major air exercise that will largely take place along the southern and western section of the Indo-Pakistan border.
India's frontline fighter jets including the Rafale, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Mirage-2000, Tejas and AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft are set to feature in the exercise, the sources said.
In the course of the exercise, the IAF will simulate enemy targets on ground and in the air with deadly precision, they said.
The militaries of both India and Pakistan are on a high alert following rising tensions between the two nations.
Soon after the Pahalgam terror attack, India, citing "cross-border linkages" to the strike, promised severe punishment to those involved in it.
In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass on April 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the armed forces have "complete operational freedom" to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the terror attack.
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh met Prime Minister Modi on Sunday and the Chief of Air Staff briefed him about the IAF's operational readiness.
On Saturday, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi apprised the prime minister on the overall situation in the critical sea lanes in the Arabian Sea.