Click to play videoNew Delhi/ Kolkata: The West Bengal government admits that it had been given intelligence warning about a possible Maoist attack in Sildah where rebels struck at a police camp on Monday and killed 24 people.
CNN-IBN learns that the intelligence input was specific and could have prevented the attack. The state intelligence sent two specific alerts to the government on November 23, 2009 and February 13, 2010
“Mobile squad of Maoists is planning to attack Sildah camp of the joint forces,” said one alert.
Another intelligence alert warned that Maoists were infiltrating among students in Sildah College. All joint forces camps required to have two local police officers present at all times. However, the local police officers posted in Sildah camp left just 30 minutes before the attack
The interrogation of local police officers has revealed discrepancies in their statements. Bullets fired by Maoists during the attack were those that are used by the state police, leading officials to suspect that ammunition from the district police armoury reached Maoists.
Meanwhile, West Bengal's home secretary Ardhendu Sen said, "There had been some intelligence inputs and the troops should have been more alert. However, the exact site of the attack was not known. It is not true that the EFR jawans did not retaliate but it cannot be denied that there were several security lapses and a departmental inquiry is going to be held."
The home secretary's statement comes a day after Bengal's top cop said that there was an intelligence failure.
West Bengal Director General of Police B bhupinder Singh had said, "Because it is not expected that inside the town the Naxals would enter in the numbers that they did and attacked."
Twenty-four men from the Eastern Frontier Rifles were killed in the attack. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said there were “signs of failure” in how police were caught off-guard in a camp described as a "picnic spot."
Even as farewell gun salute were given to the departed jawans and their bodies handed over to relatives, questions have been raised on the preparedness of the joint forces to combat the Naxals. Reports suggest that women Naxal cadres visited the camps several times in disguise to do a thorough recce of the spot.
(With inputs from Saugato Mukhopadhyay from Silda)
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
More on IBNLive Right Now
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
