NIA to probe into security lapses in Uri incident

The Centre has asked National Investigation Agency to probe into alleged security lapses in order to fix responsibilities in connection with the terror attack.

NEW DELHI: The Centre has asked National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday to probe into alleged security lapses in order to fix responsibilities in connection with the terror attack near the border town of Uri in Kashmir that left 18 soldiers dead on Sunday.

“NIA has been asked to look into the possible lapses leading to the intrusions of the four Pakistani terrorists who stormed the Army base,” a senior a NIA official said.

The Centre, he said, had taken a serious view as how three layer security grid got breached in Uri. “The home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi is in Srinagar to review security in the Valley and held talks with security top brass including Jammua and Kashmir police over the alleged security lapses,” the official added.

The NIA has registered a case after taking over the probe from Jammu and Kashmir police and collected evidence from the Army including two mobile sets and two GPS and arms and ammunitions recovered from the suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists.

“The Army today handed over weapons and other items recovered from the slain terrorists. The two GPS likely to be sent to US to examine the exact routes taken by the terrorists to infiltrate into India,” said an NIA official who is part of the probe team.

Union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju was restrained when asked whether the Centre was planning to take any demonstrative action for the killing of soldiers in Uri.

“Action will be taken after due consideration. Action is not taken after making announcements,” he told reporters.

 “It’s a very serious issue and we should not indulge in any war of words. So many lives have been lost, people’s sentiments have been hurt. The matter cannot be handled just like that,” Rijiju said.

Sources in the security establishment said inputs about the possible attack by terrorists were shared some days ago. “It was not an intelligence failure as we had had shared the inputs about the possible attacks few days ago. But despite this the terrorists managed to breach the Line of Control . A probe will unearth why no action was taken on the ground after the intelligence input and also to find out role of any insider/local,” said an IB official.

NIA sources said the DNA samples were collected from the four terrorists. “Based on our investigation we will prepare a dossier to be shared with Pakistan to expose their lies,” said the NIA official.