NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sent identical advisories to the states reminding them to oblige by mandatorily reporting to the Central Control Room (CCR) and immediately sending requests for the NSG assistance in connection with all cases of bomb and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) blasts in their respective jurisdictions having national implications.
Sources said that directives have been sent to the states, as the MHA has in recent times found certain incidents where states failed to communicate to the CCR immediately and also in seeking assistance from the National Security Guard (NSG) in cases of such blasts.
According to sources, such time lag in keeping the central agencies in the loop “grossly hamper" post-blast investigations despite the fact the MHA has mandated that all blast cases with national implications must be promptly reported to the central control room and NSG assistance requested without delay.
It is to be noted here that since its establishment in 1984, the NSG has the database to look at and match possible patterns and terror signatures by visiting the blast sites if they are requisitioned without any delay, as it helps the investigating officers substantially.
The sources said in the event of delay in communicating about the blast case to the CCR and requisitioning the NSG, there have always been possibilities of losing scientific evidence by failing to collect forensic samples.
Highlighting the importance of adhering to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Post-Blast Investigation (PBI), a source said, “To communicate to the NSG and the CCR is necessary to facilitate investigation by the NSG National Bomb Data Centre (NBDC).”
He also argued that an investigation by an NSG team was needed to understand the type of bomb or IED mechanisms and also the requirement of implementing measures to counter and prevent such incidents effectively.
The sources said that the National Investigation Agency Act 2008 also mandates that terror incidents having implications for national security and sovereignty need to be handed over to the NIA for investigations.