Lessons from Samba attack: Need to revise SoPs
Army jawans take positions during an encounter with the militants in Samba. Photo: PTI.
The report that speaks of need to revise standard operating procedures has been accessed exclusively by Headlines Today. The report says even in peace stations like Samba, while some SoPs like buddy system in sentry duty, stopping unidentified personnel at a suitable distance need to be followed in toto, it is more important to revise certain SoPs.
"In some peace stations like Samba, to prevent fratricide there are certain local rules that soldiers don't keep ammunition loaded in their weapons. But in the wake of Samba attack and intelligence alerts about similar plans by terrorists in other peace stations, that rule needs a relook. In some units the rules have already been changed," highly placed sources told Headlines Today. The report also talks of need to better protect schools, hospitals and family quarters from terrorist attacks.
The decoding process of the GPS recovered from the terrorists is underway. Mobile call details are also being assessed. "Strangely there was very little signal and electronic intelligence just before the attack. There was not much 'chatter' but it appears the terrorists were in touch with their handlers in Pakistan through a third country," sources added.
The report also indicates that officers were not at the Mess when the three terrorists struck as some were inspecting weapons drill tasks and others had broken off after morning exercise.
The three terrorists after the Hiranagar police station attack had abandoned their truck almost a kilometre short of the 16 Cavalry location. Since the terrorists were dressed in military fatigues and were armed, they walked unquestioned.
The sentry, Siphai DKK Reddy, at the 16 Cavalry Officers Mess, mistook them to be soldiers from another battalion and did not challenge them as they came close to the sentry bunker. One of the terrorists shot the lone sentry at the gate of the Mess inside the Sentry bunker and then lobbed a grenade inside to ensure the sentry was neutralised.
The three terrorists armed with automatic assault rifles, grenades and commando knife (with Rifaqat and Co, Pakistan marking) following full commando drill went towards the rear of the Officers Mess. They lobbed a grenade in the first room behind the Mess killing Daffadar Inder Singh. The three terrorists then spread out to inflict maximum casualty. Hearing the gunshots, Lt Col Bikramjit Singh, the second in command and some soldiers rushed towards the Quarter Guard (armoury) to retrieve their weapons. As they moved to challenge the terrorists, "the terrorists turned around and pumped bullets into Lt Col Singh (who initially mistook them to be jawans running amok) and the others with him," sources told Headlines Today.
By now the Commanding Officer Col Avin Uthaiah, who had earlier broken off and gone home after the morning PT (physical training) along with the unit QRT (quick reaction team) challenged the terrorists. The terrorists had split up, one was on the first floor of the building, once again lobbing grenades, clearing rooms. He shot at the CO, injuring him in the shoulder and wrist.
The CO then called for the tanks. "He got into the first tank and as one terrorist came out spraying bullets, the CO actually tried to run him down under the tank. The terrorist, however, managed to get into building," sources said. With two terrorists now on top of the Guest Room building, the tanks fired two high explosive rounds, pinning them down. By then the QRT of 2 Sikh, the adjoining battalion also came in, later followed by 9 Para Special Forces commandos who were flown in from near the Headquarters Northern Command and after a fierce firefight killed the three terrorists who the 16 Cav had kept trapped inside the Mess building complex, using five tanks and all available personnel.
To prevent similar incidents in future the report says:
1. Standard operating procedure (SoPs) should be followed in toto.
2. Unidentified persons should be challenged at a suitable distance from the guard room.
3. Buddy system (at least 2 personnel) to be deployed at all times on guard duty.
4. Relook order not to keep weapons with ammunition (to prevent fratricide) in peace station.
5. High parameter wall around military stations with concertina wire.
6. Closer interaction with civil and other intelligence and police agencies for quicker response to inputs.
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