NSG did not use bomb detection robots at Pathankot

1 life could have been saved

About a month before the chief of the National Security Guards’ bomb disposal squad Lt Colonel EK Niranjan died in an explosion while handling a terrorist’s body rigged with a grenade at thePathankot Air Force base, the Centre finalised fresh quality standards for surveillance robots for bomb detection tasks.

This comes after sources say that few such robots with the NSG are not functional even as questions are being raised at the Home Ministry on why such two-wheeled and four-wheeled robots were not pressed into service in Pathankot. They were displayed before Home Minister Rajnath Singh at NSG Raising Day last year — these robots are meant to detect bombs and explosives to eliminate the risk to human life during such operations.

The home ministry did not respond to a query sent by ET on whether these ROVs were taken to Pathankot or used. “NSG does have the robot. I cannot comment on any specific case but at NSG, we have laid down procedures at how bomb detection and disposal should be done,” former NSG Chief Arvind Ranjan told ET.

A senior government official said the Centre is looking into why the NSG did not use the equipment available with its bomb disposal squad and whether the “safe procedure drill”, in the agency’s parlance, was followed in the case of Pathankot airbase attack. “NSG has nearly two dozen world-class bomb protection suits but they were apparently not used. The bombs once detected are defused using a telescopic manipulator and a total containment vehicle – it is being seen if the same was employed in Pathankot or not,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

A sub-group of technical experts on bomb disposal equipment had on November 15and 19 finalised qualitative requirements for buying two-wheeled and four-wheeled surveillance robots. These are basically mini robots which can be manoeuvred through a remote. They provide video and audio reconnaissance for bomb detection, are able to climb steps and overcome curbs and obstacles, as per the document floated by the home ministry for vendor comments. These robots are also designed to be used on a pole camera to see over walls, through windows and under culverts for bombs.

Lt Col Niranjan, a resident of Kerala, was killed while trying to retrieve a grenade from the body of a dead terrorist at Pathankot airbase on January 3 during mopping up operations. Three other security personnel were injured during the grenade blast.