Senior police arrived at ground zero for an examination of the crime scene a day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the Jammu airport bomb case. NIA officials of Superintendent rank have been on the scene of the explosion from the first day, but the investigation has just recently begun. Senior officers from Delhi including those from IG and DIG ranks reached Jammu today; DG NIA is also expected to visit shortly.
The chiefs of the counter-terror force NSG and the civil airports guarding Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had on Wednesday inspected the scene of the terror attack at the Air Force station in Jammu.
M A Ganapathy, director-general of the National Security Guard (NSG), and S K Saxena, acting director-general of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), visited the Jammu airport, where the Indian Air Force (IAF) is stationed, and performed a reconnaissance of the blast site. They met with representatives from several government agencies to arrange perimeter security at the Jammu airport. Anti-drone teams have been stationed at Jammu and adjacent airbases by the NSG.
Officials in charge of the investigation stated there had been no leads in determining the names of the conspirators thus far. “This is going to be a long, painstaking probe,” an official said.
Officials claimed they contemplated using mortar to blow up the facility near the MI17 helicopter hangars at first, but a comprehensive investigation of the structure led to the employment of a drone. “The ceiling was ripped off, and the explosives were launched at a 45-degree angle.
The saria (iron rods used in construction) were completely bent, and the table placed right beneath the roof was completely blown away. It was obvious from this that the bombs were dropped at a 90-degree angle. This trajectory could only be achieved by a bomb launched from the sky,” a source told News18.
Another officer added that even though the theory of a drone being operated from inside Indian territory is still being considered, the possibility of this is remote. But as part of the investigation, the mobile tower data dump and internet activities are being analysed. “The area’s mobile and internet activity are being examined, but this is a lengthy procedure. “It’ll take some time,” the officer said.
A guy on duty stated he heard a whirring sound but the explosion happened before he could respond, according to a source. IAF troops on patrol duty on the night of the incident have submitted their statements to the police and NIA, but no substantial leads have surfaced.
The IED’s forensic report is still pending, but detectives believe it was prepared by specialists. “The IED that was utilised was highly complex; it wasn’t something that just anyone could put together. “It nearly seems like ordnance factory work,” a police officer told News18.
The Pakistani army and ISI are suspected of assisting Lashkar-e-Toiba in carrying out the operation, according to the NIA. However, officials stated that taking names is premature in the absence of any firsthand information from the ground.
