Pathankot attack: India to interrogate abducted SP
Punjab Police SP Salwinder Singh was kidnapped along with his cook and a jeweller friend by armed gunmen
PHOTO: REUTERS
The Indian security agencies have decided to thoroughly interrogate a police superintendent, who was allegedly abducted by the Pathankot air base attackers and later released.
Punjab Police SP Salwinder Singh was kidnapped along with his cook and a jeweller friend by armed gunmen, who later struck at the Indian Air Force base near Pakistan’s border. Government sources said on Tuesday the agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), will thoroughly examine the SP to verify his antecedents.
Pathankot air base attack: Pakistan working on Indian ‘leads’
The agencies want to establish the purpose of the police officer’s visit to a secluded area in Pathankot at odd hours and know why he was not accompanied by any of his protocol officers, officials said.
Singh, jeweller Rajesh Verma and Singh’s cook were kidnapped by heavily-armed terrorists on December 31 when they were travelling in the police officer’s SUV. While Singh and his cook were freed without any harm to them, Verma’s throat was slit by the abductors but he survived.
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Even though Singh informed the police about his kidnapping, officers did not initially take him seriously, thus leading to some crucial hours being lost before the attack.
Singh said his timely information ahead of the attack on the Pathankot air base had alerted the security agencies and prevented major damage.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2016.