Two terrorists of the suspected group of six might have entered Pathankot airbase before a Punjab Police SP raised alarm after being freed by the captors .
There is “high probability” that at least two terrorists entered the Indian Air Force base before Punjab Police SP Salwinder Singh, his jeweller friend Rajesh Verma and Singh’s cook were kidnapped on December 31, official sources said. Verma, whose throat was slit but survived, told his interrogators that he had
heard the four terrorists, who boarded the vehicle after hijacking it, talking to their handlers, believed to be in Pakistan.
The handler apparently ticked off the four terrorists saying why they could not enter the air base as two other terrorists have already reached the target.
The four terrorists told their handlers that they were on their way but could not reach the base as there were several police pickets on the way.
There is also possibility of these four terrorists entered the Pathankot airbase in the morning of January 1, much before an alarm was sounded in the area to secure all vital installations later in the evening of that day, sources said.
The hijacked vehicle was also found near the air base. Crucial hours were lost in verifying the Punjab Police SP’s claims that he was kidnapped along with two others by the terrorists.
Sources said that police officers whom the SP had informed about the terrorists initially did not take him seriously due to his “dubious past”, thus leading to some crucial hours being lost.
Sources said that immediately after the alarm was sounded, security at all vital installations, including the Pathankot air base in Punjab, was enhanced to the highest level to make it difficult for the terrorists to mount an attack.
Security agencies believe there were six terrorists and they were divided into two groups — one of 4 and the other with 2 members. The top security brass of the government knew by January one that Pathankot air base would be the target of the terrorists, who were still at large and steps were taken immediately.
First priority for the government was to secure the assets parked in the technical area and NSG team, about 160 commandos, was dispatched and they were deployed along with other special forces to guard the assets in the inner periphery.