Four terrorists killed in attack on Pathankot airbase: Two airmen perish

The terrorist attack in Pathankot, border district in Punjab, was a planned operation, according to security sources that confirmed that four of the terrorists were killed so far and two more were at large. Two airmen at Pathankot air base were also killed in the continuing exchange of fire between the security agencies and terrorists. The security agencies included the National Security Guards and the Garuda Commando Force. Going by the sequence of terrorist incidents since Friday night, the security agencies said the terrorists had in fact crossed the border 2 days ago. There may have been two groups, together numberiong six, that crossed the border districts of Gurdaspur and Pathankot. As soon as they crossed the border, they got into Indian Army fatigues and stood across the highway. They first stopped the car of Gurdaspur Superintendent of Police, Salwinder Singh, and abducted him. Salwinder had in the previous night left for a gurdwara in Pathankot with a junior official and a jeweller friend. He was abducted while he was returning. They had forced theselves into the SP's car and one of them occupied the driver's seat. Then they systematically beat up all the three occupants of the car. Perhaps not realising that they had a big catch of the SP and a junior police official with him, the terrorists left them midway and proceeded with Salwinder's friend. They took a swipe at the jeweller's neck cutting it and pushed him out of the speeding car. The local people saw the fallen jeweller and admitted him to a hospital. About 35 km. from Pathankot, the terrorists abandoned the SP's car and stopped another car coming that way. They killed the lone occupant in the car. At some point during the overnight, the terrorists managed to get into Pathankot airbase and around 3.30 am on Saturday they started firing at random. Having got wind of the overnight attacks, the Army was ready to tackle the terrorists in the airbase, gunning down four of them, but with a loss of two airmen. Two other terrorists appeared to have hidden themselves, even as the exchange of fire was going on. As the day was breaking, more troops were being rushed to the area. This was a fidayeen (suicidal and lightning) attack. But the security agencies had been forewarned. Could they not have tightened the security on the border roads. The extent of at least 35 km covered by the terrorists to reach the airbase suggests some laxity in security somewhere. Significantly the SP himself and his junior official were the first victims. Could they have been beaten into silence? They could as well have used the existing emergency communications to reduce the damage. In any case, the security agencies in Punjab, known for their valour otherwise, should revise their response in such emergencies as a fidayeen attack. In case of terrorist attack in Jammu a few months ago, it was the people (civilians) who had turned the tables on a terrorist and turned him over to the security agencies live. They had shown not just valour but intelligence as well.