Doubt if SOP was followed properly: Manohar Parrikar on Pampore attack

BHUBANESWAR: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today expressed doubt if the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was followed properly by the bus-borne CRPF personnel at Pampore in Jammu and Kashmir who were attacked by terrorists leading to eight jawans being killed.

He said he "doubted if the SOP was followed properly" while noting that the clear picture will emerge after the inquiry.

"We will only get to know the exact reason after the inquiry," Parrikar told reporters here.

The minister termed the killing of CRPF personnel at Pampore as an act of "frustration" on part of Pakistani terrorists several of whom were killed by Indian forces in past one year.

"In last one year, we have eliminated over 25 terrorist from Pakistan who had infiltrated into our country. It was an act of frustration," he said.

Eight Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed and 21 others wounded when terrorists rained bullets on the bus carrying them in Pulwama district yesterday.