The Defence Security Corps soldiers who were mowed down by terrorist at the Pathankot airbase on January 2, 2016 perhaps could have been saved had the terrorist been pinned down, an internal inquiry has now revealed in a report accessed by India Today.

Terrorists stormed the frontline fighter base of the Indian Air Force (IAF) near the India-Pakistan border on January 2 last year. The operation to flush out the terrorist lasted for three days during which seven security personnel were killed.

The inquiry was ordered after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a meeting with top security officials, expressed his displeasure and concern over the manner in which terrorist stormed the airbase. The IAF, which initially hadn't ordered an inquiry, was forced to order one. The inquiry conducted by Air Vice-Marshal Amit Dev is understood to have revealed that basic security protocol weren't followed at the airbase and has apportioned responsibility on senior IAF officials at the airbase.

The inquiry is understood to have concluded that the airbase wasn't able to come-up with comprehensive plan to defend the airbase although there was clear and precise intelligence about the attack.

The then Pathankote Airbase Commander Air Commodore J S Dhamoon, an officer who finds mention in the inquiry report, has put in his papers. Besides, some IAF officers and soldiers are likely to lose their seniority as a punishment for not following procedure, top sources said. The then security officer of the airbase has also come in for criticism.

Shockingly the route used by the terrorist to enter the airbase was flagged-up as a "vulnerable point" a few months prior to the attack. A mentally unstable man breached the security and entered the airbase using the same route, sources said the report has observed.

The report says that security of the 2000 acre frontline airbase had several gaps and standard operating procedure to secure installations had been violated making it easy for the terrorist to enter and hide within the base. For instance the inquiry says that trees and under-growth along the perimeter wasn't removed. Guard post along the perimeter weren't properly maintained and flood lights along the airbase to detect intrusions weren't functioning or maintained.

Interestingly, the inquiry has also found that the airbase security failed to detect ropes - used to climb the airbase wall, personal clothing item and food left behind by the terrorist when they entered the airbase even though base was on a high alert.

The Ministry of Defence didn't respond to queries of India Today.

Earlier last month, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa in a personnel letter to the IAF personnel had warned about lax standards, lack of professionalism in the force and favouritism creeping into the forces. The letter sent to 12000 officers of the IAF said that there was no room for slackness in the force.

FALL-OUT OF THE INQUIRY

Garud commandos - the special forces of the Indian Air Force - who were first to interdict the terrorist on January 2, 2016, will now be deployed along the Indian Army in counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir. "The Garuds are a competent force, but they need to battle hardened. Based on the inquiry report the government has decided to deploy them in Jammu and Kashmir for battle inoculation," top sources said.

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