The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) did not react immediately to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s charge that the force had been careless about keeping a strict eye on their camp. However, official sources said the local administration cannot shirk responsibility either.

Officials pointed out that the Rampur camp was more an administrative centre for the CRPF and not an operation base like those in Jammu and Kashmir where the CRPF also acts as its own police force. Here, the local police had to provide the outer cordon of security, they said.

Sources pointed out the main road passing through the camp continues to be a public thoroughfare even though the matter of restricting access was taken up with the local administration and police at a recent meeting.

Incidentally, today’s attack on the CRPF group centre is the first instance when terrorists have targetted a camp outside Jammu and Kashmir and other Naxal-affected states where the force is involved in counter-insurgency operations.

The attack came within days of a warning from central security agencies to the CRPF and all state governments that militants were likely to target camps and centres which handle recruitment. Security agencies have not ruled out the involvement of militant outfits like the Lashkar-e-Toiba. Investigations are also looking at the possibility of the involvement of local groups.

The state government has blamed the CRPF, saying it should have taken proper steps for the security here, specially after the alert. The CRPF, however, maintained it was a “general alert” and had not mentioned any specific target.

“The centre is next to a railway line and the main road through the camp is a public thoroughfare. We had put up a picket outside the campus to tackle possible militant threats,” said Inspector General (Operations) A P Maheshwari. While three head constables and four constables were killed, the militants could not get to the centre’s armoury.

The CRPF had paid for this land long ago, but the administration never closed the road, said sources.

“Militants have attacked operation bases in Jammu and Kashmir in the past but these attacks were not successful. They seem to have decided to hit softer targets,” Maheshwari said.

Suicide bombers had entered the makeshift headquarters of the 144 battalion of the CRPF in a hotel near the Dal Lake in October. Both were killed after a gunbattle.

In July, alleged LeT militants tried to sneak into a CRPF camp on the outskirts of Srinagar but were shot dead.

The CRPF has 43 group centres that handle recruitment to the force. They also maintain arms and stocks needed by the force. The Rampur centre had completed the latest round of recruitment on December 26.

Meanwhile, the Congress has condemned the attack and requested the Centre and state governments to take immediate steps to arrest the culprits.

Pointing out that recent events indicate “UP is particularly vulnerable to terrorist attacks”, a party statement said state governments should be alert and take measures including sharing intelligence information.