Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik singled out Pakistan once again on Friday and accused the neighbouring country of harbouring terrorists after at least 44 CRPF personnel were killed in the worst suicide bomb attack in decades in the state’s Pulwama district.

Jaish-e-Mohammad, which India says is backed by Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for the attack that also left at least 20 Central Reserve Police Force soldiers injured and has also identified the suicide bomber, local Kashmiri man Adil Dhar, who allegedly carried out the bombing.

“Pakistan is talking nonsense. The terrorists are holding open rallies in Pakistan, saying we will do something and openly threatening India,” Malik said, according to news agency ANI.

“Pakistan is frustrated. After the successful elections (in Jammu and Kashmir) they could not recruit new terrorists, stone pelting has stopped, so it wanted to do something. We have alerted all installations and cantonments as Pakistan may do something else,” he said.

Malik said the government will hold a review meeting with top security and intelligence officials in the presence of Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who will reach Srinagar later in the day.

“We will find out where the lapses occurred,” he said.

On Thursday, Malik had said the forces responsible for insurgency were desperate and frustrated and that they just wanted to prove their presence in the Valley.

“Visibly it seems to be guided from across the border as Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed the responsibility,” Malik said in an indication to Pakistan.

The Governor also said hours after the Thursday attack that the security forces failed to act on intelligence inputs.

“There was no intelligence failure because we had received inputs (of a possible attack). But there was surely some kind of negligence. If the terrorists could bring such a big vehicle without being checked, it had to be because of failure on our part,” he said, according to television news channel NDTV.

After the attack, Malik directed immediate enhancement of surveillance and review of the security management of all important installations and establishments in the state.

“Such acts of terror will not deter the resolve of our security forces and the spirit of the people. We will finish these inimical forces to their last. The forces responsible for the insurgency in the state are desperate and frustrated. They just want to prove their presence,” Malik said.

An official spokesperson said Malik urged all commanders of security forces to enhance surveillance on every front and directed the district and divisional civil and police administration to immediately review the security of all important installations and establishments.

(With agency inputs)

First Published: Feb 15, 2019 10:43 IST