Pathankot attack: Probe agencies yet to retrieve CCTV footage

PATHANKOT: Of the total 17 fuel stations between the border and the Pathankot air base, 10 have CCTV cameras installed on their premises. More than a week after terrorists launched an outrageous attack at the base, the CCTV footage of none of these fuel stations has been retrieved so far by the investigating agencies. The CCTV recording of only one petrol pump, which is located closest (around 3 km) to the lone police naka (six km from the border), has been seen by the police who, as per the pump owner, found “nothing significant”. There are chiefly two routes to reach Pathankot from the Pakistan border.

While seven fuel stations are located on one route, 10 are on the route which the investigating agencies suspect the terrorists took. The suspicion stems from the account narrated by SP Salwinder Singh and his cook.

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The route narrated by the SP consumes at least half an hour extra, thanks to the umpteen potholes, than the other route. Both the routes have a thing in common — not even a single streetlight. The one with a better road and less time consuming is from Kolian-Kathlour-Nangal-Sunderchak-Malikpur to Pathankot (seven pumps). The other, dotted with potholes and more time consuming, is Kolian-Kathlour-Taragarh-Dinanagar (10 pumps). It is this route which the sleuths suspect the terrorists took. For, SP’s vehicle was dumped barely two km from the base, an area close to this route.

ET travelled on both the routes and spoke to attendant(s)/owners of all the fuel stations. Barring one, all others told ET that their CCTV footage has not been accessed by the police or any agency so far. Five of them told ET that they were contacted by the Punjab Police but “none have turned up” so far to obtain the footage. Owners of two fuel stations told ET that two cops from the CID wing of Punjab Police had turned up to access the footage two days back. “Since I am technologically challenged and never felt the need to retrieve old footage, I asked them to access it on their own. In response I was told that even they don’t know how to operate the apparatus. I advised them to bring a computer expert along but none has turned up,” said an elderly man, owner of a fuel station 17 km from the Pathankot city.

Another owner of a fuel station near Sunderchak told ET: “Neither have I received any phone call nor any cop has come to enquire about it.” Four attendants of different fuel stations, however, said cops came and noted down their names and address. When asked whether any inquiries pertaining to the attack or movement of SP’s red beaconed vehicle were made, all the attendants replied in the negative. “All they noted down was our names and addresses,” Ajay, one of the attendants working at Samuchak fuel station said.

Of the 10 fuel stations that have CCTV cameras, most of them have a backup of a maximum of 10 days. Last week, when NIA had come to recreate the scene of “abduction”, the force had taken a halt at ‘Muskaan fashion gallery’ in Taragarh. Reason was a CCTV camera installed outside the shop. However, nothing could be obtained as the shop owner had switched off the main switch a night earlier. “I have repositioned my camera now so that it can capture those going on the road. The camera was inadvertently positioned towards the footsteps of the shop,” said the shop owner.