NSG to probe officer who spoke to Pak spy about Hyd blasts

Counter-terror force National Security Guard has ordered an inquiry against one of its officers for allegedly talking unauthorisedly to Pakistani intelligence officials regarding developments about the recent blasts in Hyderabad. Sources said the officer is serving in the counter-terror unit of the 'black cats' force and is a major rank officer on deputation from the army.

National Security Guard chief Arvind Ranjan said the force headquarters has "ordered an inquiry" into the incident that happened a few days back.

Ranjan, however, said there was nothing alarming in the incident and nothing vital has been leaked during the brief talk between the NSG officer and the Pakistani, who is suspected to be an Inter-Services Intelligence agent.

A post-blasts analysis team of the NSG had flown to the Andhra Pradesh capital after the twin bombings rocked the city on February 21.

NSG sources said the officer reportedly talked about the movement of the NSG teams to the blasts venue and did not share any important clue about the trigger mechanism of the explosives that was used in the blasts in Hyderabad's Dilsukhnagar that had left 16 people dead. It is suspected that the conversation took place over phone and security agencies running counter-intelligence detected the conversation, which was later reported to the NSG headquarters in New Delhi, they said.

Sources said such incidents keep happening in the intelligence and security domain and regular advisories are sent to officials to not talk randomly to un-verified people over phone, in-person, Internet or any other mode of communication.

The NSG, officials said, had also issued advisories in this regard early last month.