After Sopore attack, IGP Kashmir admits security lapse

SRINAGAR — Admitting the security lapse in Sopore militant attack in which two Municipal Councillors and a cop were killed, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar on Tuesday said that had the PSO’s present at the spot retaliated, militants would not have succeeded in their efforts.

He said four PSOs have been suspended while as an OGW has been arrested who has revealed that the plan to carry out the attack was hatched by one LeT militant and a foreigner at his home.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the wreath laying ceremony of a CRPF man, who was injured in Lawaypora militant attack and succumbed yesterday, at RTC Humhama here, the IGP said: “There has been some security lapse in Sopore attack. There were four PSOs present and had they retaliated, the militants would not have succeeded in their efforts,” the IGP Kashmir said.

He said that Municipal Committee Chairman of Sopore had not informed the police about the meeting. “So there was no additional deployment. But still, four PSOs were enough to retaliate which they didn’t,” the Kashmir police chief said.

He said that police and other security forces will intensify the anti-militancy operations and those involved in Sopore attack will be either killed or arrested. “One OGW has been arrested already and after interrogating him, we have come to know that one LeT militant Mudasir along with a foreigner carried out the attack,” the IGP said.

Asked whether vehicles with outside registration numbers are being used by militants in J&K, the Kashmir police chief said that a few vehicles seized recently were used by militants to carry out attacks on security forces including the one used for “Lawaypora attack.”

“That’s why RTO has issued an order making it mandatory for vehicles with outside registration to register the same within 15 days,” IGP Kumar said, adding that police will plug the loopholes in the days ahead and also conduct short-refresher courses for the PSOs.