It has been four years since 40 CRPF soldiers were killed in a terror attack on their convoy in Pulwama on February 14 in 2019. The soldiers lost their lives after a suicide vehicle-borne suicide bomber rammed into the CRPF convoy at Lethpora on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway in Pulwama district. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Pakistan-based terrorist group, Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Speaking to News18 on the fourth anniversary of the dastardly attack, MS Bhatia, IG (Operations), CRPF Kashmir, said the force has learnt lessons from the Pulwama terror attack but has moved on and won’t look back.
“The CRPF is known for its resilience… We have learnt our lesson and moved on. Pulwama has taught us… but we don’t look back,” he said.
Edited excerpts:
What did the Pulwama attack teach you?
After the attack, there was a lot of rethink on how the road opening party, the ROP, is laid. Elaborate SOP was laid out to make the movement of convoy as fool-proof as possible. Any incident of such magnitude makes everyone look ahead and see what best can be done… Kashmir has changed remarkably in the last few years. Terror ecosystem has been demolished.
What challenges remain to the ROP and convoy movement?
We anticipate loopholes and act on plugging them, like sealing of lateral roads and CCTV surveillance on National Highways. We have 14 permanent nakas on National Highways that have CCTV. We dominate roads even during lean times. When a convoy is passing, the traffic is regulated to rule out threat from vehicle-borne IEDs.
Isn’t the new challenge more from hybrid terrorists and small arms?
It is a threat. For the last 2-3 years, we are seeing people on bikes appearing out of nowhere, lobbing grenades and running. We have devised our SOP for this kind of situation. A buddy system has been put in place where the buddy keeps a 360-degree watch. The motto is — pin down your adversary before he can act. You hit him before he hits you.
Have you also changed the buses you use?
We have launched a drive for semi-bullet proofing. Not just our buses, but all the vehicles we use — the Tata 407, the one-tonner, three-tonners, Gypsies. All the vehicles. More than 1,200 vehicles have been bullet-proofed. All vehicles in the convoy are now bullet-proof.
The jawans who were killed in Pulwama were returning from leave. Post the attack, a system was started to let them fly back rather than travel by road. Is it still continuing?
The air courier service was started by the MHA. It continues to operate on the Delhi-Srinagar route seven days a week and Jammu-Srinagar four days a week. But there are people who are getting transferred and have to travel with luggage or goods. For them, the convoy movement continues.
On the last anniversary of the Pulwama attacks, soldiers said we will neither forget, nor forgive. Is that the sentiment this year too?
The CRPF is known for its resilience. We are the oldest paramilitary force. Every such attack, be it Pulwama or in Maoist territory… our resolve has only been strengthened. We are on the offensive in the Valley. We have learnt our lesson and moved on. Pulwama has taught us… but we don’t look back.
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