Defending our defence posts

Anil Chowdhry

Pathankot in the Punjab, a strategic IAF base, Uri, a sensitive Army post in the Kashmir Valley, both close to the Pakistan border, and now Nagrota, a major base of the Indian Army deep inside the Jammu region close to Jammu city, all were attacked by Islamic terrorist groups which penetrated, the inner-most security cordons. The attacks took a heavy toll of lives of our brave young officers and jawans. How these terrorists, armed to the teeth, were able to dodge the security rings to get inside the officers mess and family quarters remains a big mystery. A report submitted by the high-level tri-Services Committee, headed by Lt Gen (retd.) Philip Campose, went into the security lapses leading to the shocking attack on Pathankot. Recommendations to install a whole range of intrusion-detection and reaction systems to prevent such attacks were submitted in May. One thought security at our posts in Jammu and Kashmir  would be made more impregnable. But that has not happened. As an ex- internal security professional, one is exasperated by these huge chinks in our armour, repeatedly revealed in the recent period. According to the elementary principles of premises security, several layers of security to filter persons and objects gaining access into the harm zone are put in position at such sensitive camps. Whether there was or was not any specific intelligence to warn against the attack is not relevant. Defence establishments in terrorist-affected zones like Jammu and Kashmir  must be prepared to thwart hostile intrusions 24X7, with the help of cutting-edge technologies and well-trained and alert man power.

The terrorist attack by a suspected Jaish-e Mohammed group in Nagrota was daring indeed with hand-written posters in Urdu of their avenging the death of Afzal Guru in Urdu. This was perhaps the first bold strike so deep inside the Jammu region and will shake to the core, the confidence of Jammuites. The latter have felt more secure than their brethren in the Kashmir Valley. The response of our political leadership to such attacks, as it trys to gain mileage to buttress their agendas remains deplorable. The jingoistic rhetoric of the more patriotic sections of our media in blaming Pakistan for inflicting a "hundred cuts" and vowing to teach them "a lesson once for all" will also not help. Such attacks abetted from across the borders are not going to end any time soon. Our own preparedness by sharpening human and technical intelligence- gathering capabilities by central and state agencies to prevent such strikes in Jammu and Kashmir and throughout the hinterland is the only way  out. Police stations and posts, which have a grip over the pulse of the populace in their jurisdiction and not the Armed Forces, which generally cut themselves off from the people; hold the key to tactical intelligence gathering.

Our electronic media is also wide off the mark by bringing in mustachioed ex -Generals of the Indian and Pak army calling Pakistan State / Army "sponsors of terrorism and accusing them of carrying out a proxy war" and those from across the borders calling terrorists indulging in rampant violence in Jammu and Kashmir "freedom fighters" in the debates that follow such incidents. One is sick and tired of only loud talk and chest-beating, but no action. How many more lives of our brave soldiers are we willing to sacrifice before our defence apparatus pulls up its socks?

Instead of reacting passionately to criticism, the top leadership of our armed forces needs to introspect on how to achieve higher standards in fortifying their locations. There are lessons to be learnt world-wide from countries like Israel, which also face hostile neighborhoods. We must be less emotional and more pragmatic in such critical areas.

The writer is a former Secretary (Internal Security), MHA