GPS data reveals Dinanagar was on target

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 28

Security agencies investigating material evidence on the ground are getting convinced that the three heavily armed Gurdaspur attackers were Pakistanis who arrived well in advance before the operation and had intruded from the riverine area of Gurdaspur bordering Pakistan.

Investigators from the state police, Border Security Force (BSF) and Central agencies are anlalysing the data of two Global Positioning System (GPS) devices recovered from the terrorists, which primarily shows that the attack on Dinanagar police station was pre-programmed. Based on this data, security analysts believe that the three entered India through the Dorangla outpost on the International Border from the Pakistan side. 

The GPS coordinates suggest the devices were used in the Mushfikur area of Pakistan on July 20; these remained switched off for around 24 hours; then their location was recorded near Dorangla village in Gurdaspur after which they first went towards Kathua in Jammu, but then returned towards Dinanagar. 

The coordinates hint that the terrorists were close to the border around 9.30 pm on July 21. Later, their location was recorded at three different places inside the Indian territory. The GPS devices also show the terrorists were at Narot Jaimal Singh village which is located in a thick forest. The terrorists wanted to inflict maximum casualties by blowing up a train. They also wanted to kill as many people as possible at the bus stand. For this, they carried 4.5 kg RDX and detonators, which were recovered unused near their bodies.

The terrorists fired 226 rounds in all, while 61 live bullets of AK-47 were seized from their possession. The police have also found half a tin of Complan food supplement, besides one grenade launcher and five hand grenade pins. A commando knife was also found from their possession, besides three army uniforms, three leather belts, three pairs of shoes and two army caps.

As the bombs planted on the railway track did not go off and the driver of the bus they attacked did not stop the vehicle, the terrorists got confused. Instead of going towards the bus stand, they headed towards the Dinanagar police station.

As the area has a thick forest cover, it helped them in hiding. Sources said the BSF had a severe shortage of manpower in the area. It had already requested for deployment of an additional battalion in the sector. The Union Home Minister discussed the matter in January this year, but a decision was yet to be taken. The bodies would be kept for identification for 72 hours. The post-mortem is yet to be conducted.