IAS academy honours four Pathankot officials

PATHANKOT: The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, has felicitated four Pathankot officials, including the ADC (General), for taking 18 IAS probationers to a position of relative safety during the terrorist attack on the Pathankot Air Force station on January 2.

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Pathankot, May 30

The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, has felicitated four Pathankot officials, including the ADC (General), for taking 18 IAS probationers to a position of relative safety during the terrorist attack on the Pathankot Air Force station on January 2.

The officers who have been given letters of appreciation are Kumar Saurabh Raj, ADC (General); Satpal Singh, Executive Engineer, Pathankot Improvement Trust and Municipal Corporation; Jatinder Singh, Reader to Deputy Commissioner and Sanjeev Pathania, Miscellaneous Assistant (MA), DC office.

A group of 18 IAS probationers had already commenced their journey for a winter study tour from Mussoorie when terrorists attacked the air base in the wee hours of January 2. The study tour was to be held in the precincts of the base.

The train reached the Pathankot city station on January 4 evening and by that time the operation to flush out the terrorists was on in full swing with two of them suspected to be holed up.

The Army and the police had already taken over the railway station as a security measure and apart from passengers arriving in trains, nobody was allowed at the station.

The delegation arrived amid rumours that more terrorists had taken positions in various parts of the city.

The ADC contacted the Academy officials who, in turn, got in touch with the Air Force authorities. The ADC was asked to take the guests to a place which was comparatively secure.

The only officer who was kept abreast by the ADC about the developments was Punjab Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal.

“The entourage was taken to Dalhousie. Everything was kept secret. The Dalhousie DC and SDM were asked to make arrangements for their stay. Instead of cars, a mini-bus was hired and the SSP was asked to provide an escort vehicle and proper security,” said Kumar Saurabh Raj.