Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 18

The number of casualties in the Uri attack could have been prevented as two buildings at the same military station were vacant, but the advance party of the Bihar Regiment was staying in tents pitched in the open, that too just 6 km from the volatile Line of Control (LoC).Fourteen of the 17 soldiers were killed as grenades lobbed by four Pakistan-trained terrorists led to fire in tents. Twelve bodies were burnt badly and four of them couldn’t even be recognised forcing a DNA test, sources said. Troops of the 6 Bihar Regiment were to replace the 10 Dogra Regiment at Uri just outside the headquarters of the 12 Brigade of the Army.Sources confirmed that the advance party (30-35 persons, including a Major) of the Bihar Regiment arrived on September 16 to start the administrative work before the rest of the regiment could arrive. Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said, “The tents located in the complex were to house additional troops inducted due to routine turnover of units. There have been a total of 17 Army fatal casualties. Of these, 14 casualties have been due to these tents/shelters having caught fire.”It is being suspected that terrorists managed to hide themselves for a few hours inside the military camp during the night before launching the attack around 5.30 am and they were aware of the troops living in tents.The terrorists hiding inside the camp or at the edge of it caught the troops by total surprise as most of them were asleep inside the tents.It was a full-moon night, therefore not dark, which is not an ideal condition for an attack. Yet the terrorists mounted the attack, which suggests they had prior information of the change of regiments and took the risk of crossing the LoC to target the troops staying in tents.Terrorists on their own would have no prior intimation of a regiment getting relieved and some men living in tents. However, Pakistan-based military commanders keep an eye using satellite imagery and ground-based human intelligence, hence the Pakistan military link.But as recently retired Western Command chief Lt Gen KJ Singh puts it: “It is too early for a postmortem of the attack. The Army has a mechanism to deal with all such issues.” Defence Minister, Army Chief review security in Kashmir  Srinagar: In view of the Uri attack, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Sunday took stock of the ongoing operations and reviewed the overall security situation in Kashmir. Parrikar rushed to Srinagar this evening and General Suhag reached earlier on Sunday to review the situation. An Army spokesman said they were briefed by the Northern Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda and Chinar Corps commander Lt Gen Satish Dua in Srinagar on the Uri attack. The Defence Minister was briefed about the security grid along the Line of Control and the hinterland. tnsUS with India in anti-terror fight  Washington: The US is committed to building a “strong partnership” with India to combat terrorism, the White House said on Sunday as it condemned the Uri attack. “The US strongly condemns the terrorist attack,” State Department Spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. Meanwhile, US Ambassador to India Richard Verma also condemned the attack. “We condemn the attack in Uri. Our thoughts are with the families of the soldiers who lost their lives #UriAttack,” Verma tweeted in Delhi. PTIPak scoffs at ‘unfounded’ chargeIslamabad: Pakistan on Sunday refuted as “unfounded and premature” India’s charge that it was behind the terrorist attack in Uri, with its army demanding “actionable intelligence” to support New Delhi’s accusation. Pakistan army spokesman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa said following the attack Director General of Military Operation (DGMO) of the two countries discussed the situation along the LoC through hotline. “Refuting the allegation, Pakistani DGMO asked his counterpart to share any actionable intelligence,” Radio Pakistan reported citing an Inter-Services Public Relations release. Bajwa said no infiltration was allowed from the Pakistani soil because of “water-tight arrangements” in place on both sides of the LoC. PTIJitendra warns of befitting responseNew Delhi: Blaming Pakistan for the Uri attack, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said those trying to test India’s security and confidence would be given a befitting response. “We have known long enough who are behind sponsoring terrorism against India particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. I think time has come to call their bluff and give them a befitting reply,” the Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office told reporters. PTi Union Home Secy to visit todayNew Delhi: Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi will visit Srinagar on Monday to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Following a directive of Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Mehrishi will visit Srinagar and attend a series of meetings with officials of the state government, Army, police and paramilitary force and take stock of the situation in the state, official sources said. He is expected to meet Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over the situation in J&K. PTI

Governor speaks to Generals

Srinagar: After the fidayeen attack at an Army camp in Uri, Governor NN Vohra on Sunday called Lt Gen DS Hooda, Northern Command chief, and Lt Gen Satish Dua, GOC 15 Corps, and conveyed his heartfelt sympathies on the loss of lives of brave soldiers. He saluted the martyrs and wished early recovery to the injured. TNSMajor fidayeen attacks June 26, 2016 Pampore: Eight CRPF men and two fidayeens die after CRPF convoy attacked Feb 20, 2016 Pampore: Three Army men, three fidayeens and a civilian killed in long gunfightDec 5, 2014 Baramulla: Eight Army men and three policemen killed at Army base in Mohra UriSept 25, 2013 Jammu: Twin attacks in Samba and Kathua leave nine persons dead June 24, 2013 Srinagar: Eight soldiers killed as Army convoy attacked on outskirts of the cityMarch 31, 2013 Srinagar: Five jawans, two militants dead after CRPF camp targetted October 5, 2006 Srinagar: Five policemen, two CRPF men and two fidayeens killed at Budshah ChowkJuly 22, 2003 Akhnoor: Eight men, including a Brigadier, lose lives at Army camp May 14, 2002 Jammu: 31 killed, 48 injured in Army Cantonment at KaluchakSept 17, 2001 Handwara: Nine policemen die as a camp of the Special Operations Group of the J&K Police attackedJuly 13, 1999 Bandipora: A DIG and four BSF personnel killedNov 3, 1999 Srinagar: Eight Army men killed at 15 Corps Headquarters — Compiled by Majid Jahangir

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What they said

Pakistan must stop aiding and abetting the extremist forces as such activities are a big impediment to the peace process in the region. The Central Government has failed to stop infiltration of militants. — Sitaram Yechury, CPM general secretary We have given a long rope to Pakistan. Now is the time to take decisive action as the time for restraint is long past. Brutal provocations demand equally brutal reprisals. — Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab state Congress president India cannot be cowed down by such attacks. I strongly condemn the cowardly attack at Uri. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those martyred in Uri. — Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister  India will not be cowed down by such attacks. We will thwart the evil designs of terrorists and their backers. I salute and pay tributes to the martyrs. — Pranab Mukherjee, President The current situation of unrest in the Valley is the result of the proxy war in which Pakistan has been indulging since ages. They [Pakistan] are doing everything in their power to create havoc in Kashmir. — Nirmal Singh, J&K Deputy Chief Minister Such attacks are the result of use of cross-border terrorism by one country in our region. We shall deal with such provocations in a befitting manner. — Hamid Ansari, Vice-President Deepest condolences to families of #UriAttack martyrs who sacrificed their lives for motherland. The perpetrators will be made to pay for it. — Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Modi ki laparwahi aur nakaami se jawan marae ja rahein hain. Kahan gaya Modi ka 56-inch ka seena? (Soldiers are dying due to the failure and negligence of Modi; where is his 56-inch chest now?). The Centre has to take tough action. — Lalu Prasad, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief The government must mobilise all resources, manpower and material to strengthen border defence to prevent infiltration of terrorists. — P Chidambaram, former Home Minister

12 bodies badly burnt

• Two buildings at the same military station were vacant, but the advance party of the Bihar regiment was staying in tents
• Twelve bodies were burnt badly and four of them couldn’t even be recognised forcing a DNA test
• The tents located in the complex were to house additional troops inducted due to routine turnover of units
• It was a full-moon night, therefore not dark, which is not an ideal condition for an attack. Yet the terrorists mounted the attack, which suggests they had prior information of the change of regiments.