Pathankot airbase attack an insider job? Floodlights found turned upward hint at the same

Pathankot: As investigations into the Pathankot Air Force base attack continue, one fact that has caught the attention of the probe agencies is that three floodlights were found turned upward on the night of the attack.

The Indian Express reported on Friday that investigators have detained and are questioning an employee of the Army’s Military and Engineering Services (MES) in connection with the development.

Sources said there is suspicion that the MES employee may have been compromised and he may have helped the terrorists infiltrate the airbase on the intervening night of January 1 and 2 despite the security agencies being on high alert.

The terrorists are believed to have entered the airbase by climbing an 11-foot-high wall.

Investigations revealed that when that breach happened, floodlights deployed in that area of the airbase were not functioning.

As per the daily, three of the powerful lights were found “turned upward” and directed away from the stretch of the wall, thereby making the area a zone of darkness.

Sources said except these three, all other floodlights in the area were in their original position.

Also, the 'Y' iron angles on the wall that hold the razor wire in place were also found to have been tampered along the stretch and the wire was cut through.

All this has led to speculation that the infiltration may have been a result of an 'insider job'.

The Army employee who is under suspicion was recently transferred to Pathankot from the Udhampur airbase, the report said. He was looking after electrical and other general maintenance.