SP Salwinder Singh asked me to keep the shrine open for his late night visit, claims the temple caretaker

Further leads into the investigation of the Pathankot terror attack are raising suspicions over Gurdaspur Superintendent of Police (SP) Salwinder Singh having alleged links with the terrorists who attacked Pathankot.

Singh has claimed that he has been a regular to the Panj Pir Dargah, shrine keeper Som has said that he had never seen him before at the place.

In a startling revelation, Som claimed that Singh made a phone call to him at around 8:30 on December 31 to keep the shrine open as he would be visiting. When he resisted claiming that it was already late and it was time to close the shrine, the SP allegedly forced and ordered Som to keep it open.

He also added that the SP's friend jeweller friend Rajesh Verma visited the shrine twice on the same day. He had never been to the shrine earlier, Som claimed.

What is even more astounding is the fact that the National Investigating Agency (NIA)has found footprints of Pakistan's Epcot brand shoes from Bamiyal area in Punjab. The area where the footprints were found is very close to this shrine. The shrine is just a few kilometres away from the border.

As per sources, Singh is likely to be taken into custody. The SP might have played a crucial role in the Pathankot attacks as it is believed that he could have also provided logistical support to the terrorists.

There is suspicion over his late night visit to the Panj Pir dargah as there was already a terror alert in the area and the SP went unarmed to such an isolated area.

Earlier speaking to media persons on Tuesday, DGP Punjab Police Suresh Arora said that they will investigate why SP Salwinder Singh's car was not stopped at the check points.

Gurdaspur SP has maintained that he, along with two others, was abducted and later released by heavily-armed terrorists while they were on their way back from the Panj Pir Dargah. Soon after the SP’s abduction, the terrorists had attacked the Pathankot air base in which seven men from the security forces died and six terrorists were gunned down.

Salwinder was posted as SP (Headquarters) Gurdaspur until December 31, 2015 when he was transferred to 75th battalion in Jalandhar.