Central Reserve Police Force Director General J K Sinha agreed on Thursday that some kind of laxity in security had been witnessed at the VVIP Tulsi Bagh residential area of Jammu and Kashmir, where two militants sneaked in and killed a state minister on October 18.
"There has been some failure on one side. One militant managed to enter from one side whereas the other was gunned down by our men," he told reporters on the sidelines of 30th Annual General Body meeting of Border Security Force's Tear Smoke Unit.
He observed that since Tulsi Bagh is inhabited by politicians and thronged by a large number of people, it was difficult at times to frisk everyone going inside.
"We have to strike a balance since so many people visit the area to meet ministers and elected representatives," he said two days after militants killed minister of State for Education Ghulam Nabi Lone and a security personnel, raising questions about the arrangements.
He said the security arrangements at the complex had been reviewed and corrective steps taken to plug the loopholes that may exist.
"We have reviewed the security situation of the whole city after this serious incident and tightened the security apparatus," Sinha said. Disagreeing that terrorism has increased in the valley, the CRPF chief said, "One serious incident has happened, but, on the whole, violence has not gone up."
Director General R S Mooshahary said militant groups are trying to 'take advantage' of the devastation caused by the earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir but asserted that security forces were alert to face the challenge.
"High-profile killings create an impression that violence has gone up in the state. But if you look at violent incidents quantitatively, you can see it has not increased," he said.
Reports from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir earlier had said militants suffered heavy losses in the quake, but Tuesday's attack has forced authorities to have second thoughts.
Union Home Secretary V K Duggal, during a visit to the Kashmir valley on Wednesday, had said there were some loopholes in the security apparatus, but claimed the overall situation across the state was under control.
Asked about Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's offer to open the Line of Control, Mooshahary said increasing 'people-to-people contact was always a progressive step'.
"This is a step forward in establishing more people-to-people contact, especially after the earthquake, which has wrecked havoc in both sides of Kashmir," he said.
On the situation on the Indo-Bangla border, Mooshahary admitted there are incidents of Bangladeshi Rifles men and criminals crossing over to the Indian side, with one such case occuring earlier this month.
He said apart from BDR personnel, anti-social elements from Bangladesh, with the help of lumpen elements in India, cross over and indulge in kidnapping, dacoity and such crimes, but BSF is trying its best to check such incidents.
The Indo-Bangla border is over 4,095 km long and it is not possible to man back to back, he said, adding fencing of the porous border was the only effective way to check infiltration.