NIA reconstructs SP Salwinder Singh’s ‘abduction’, questions him at length

It was only when his gunman called him and the terrorists picked up his mobile that they realised the person they had caught was a senior officer, Salwinder said.

Investigators are looking at Salwinder’s claims with suspicions due to inconsistencies in claims of the SP and his two companions who were abducted.

Indian intelligence stated that they are investigating why Singh was not with the rest of his officers and what was he doing near the airbase at a time when nobody is normally seen at that place.

Salwinder Singh, along with his friend Rajesh Verma are likely to be taken into custody by the NIA.

Meanwhile, six terrorists have been neutralised so far in the combing operation, which is still on at Pathankot’s air base for safety objective.

Parrikar also said that the security personnel who were killed in the attack will be treated as martyrs and Rs 25 lakh will be given to their kin by the central government.

“I immediately informed (my seniors) about the incident”. The probe is on to check whether the terrorists got inside help to enter the Pathankot Air Force base. “I didn’t know about his identity before my uncle, Salwinder Singh’s cook, revealed it to me”, Somraj told ABP News.

The police officer has said his vehicle was stopped around 11.30 p.m. on Thursday (December 31), while the attack began early on Saturday (January 2). Reportedly, he attempted rape on five female constables earlier, and the investigations of such cases are continuing till date.

Asked about the nationality of the terrorists involved in Pathankot attack, Kumar had said there was little doubt that the accused were from Pakistan and added “whatever evidence that is available in front of us till now is based on intercepted telephone calls between the terrorists and their handlers and family members across the border”.

India has named Maulana Masood Azhar, chief of the banned terror organisation Jaish-e-Muhammad, as well as the organisation itself and others as being responsible for the Pathankot attack in evidence shared by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval with his Pakistani counterpart Nasir Janjua, according to sources. “What could I have done against 4 to 5 people who were armed”, he said. She also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making an unscheduled visit to Pakistan last month, saying that the BJP had given a reason for Congress to attack them.

There were some discrepancies in the statement of Salwinder Singh which were being looked into, the sources said.