New Delhi: Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju on Monday admitted that there were lapses which led to the death of eight CRPF personnel in the terror attack on a convoy in Pulwama on Saturday.
“Without lapses, could such an incident have taken place? We are examining the entire incident to ensure these are not repeated again,” he said.
The home ministry has asked all paramilitary forces involved in counter-insurgency operations and internal security duties to ensure that the safety of its personnel is not compromised.
CRPF director-general K. Durga Prasad also said that the force will tweak its standard operating procedures (SOPs) though he claimed that all laid-down security protocols were followed.
Mr Prasad said the security drill will be reviewed and convoys will be provided bulletproof protection while moving in the state. He claimed that the CRPF personnel fought back valiantly and fired as many as 91 rounds, killing the two terrorists.
“Whatever SOPs are in position right now, they have been followed and that’s the reason why I said that we will require and can have a look at them again,” he said. It has been decided that henceforth convoys will move in blocks of at least three vehicles so they are better protected.
Sources said that initial investigation into the incident has revealed that some surrendered militants may have helped the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba in carrying out the attack.
The CRPF DG said that the force had “intercepts” about the militants planning to target security personnel in the Kashmir Valley but there was no specific indication about the location.
