Former defence secretary makes shocking statement, says 26/11 Mumbai style attacks may happen again!

The memory of 26/11 Mumbai attacks continues to haunt us and a statement by former defence secretary might send chills again.

Former defence secretary RK Mathur told a parliamentary panel that 26/11 Mumbai style attacks could take place again as a boat might still enter Indian waters undetected.

Mathur feels a "whole lot of work" is needed to be done and that Coast Guard was still a "long way off" from ensuring complete security of India's coastline.

In his frank testimony to Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Mathur expected that his response would be confined to a room, when he was asked if 26/11 Mumbai carnage would recur. But, the PAC report on the functioning of Coast Guard, which was eventually tabled in Parliament on Thursday, has quoted him verbatim.

"If you ask me a very specific question that 'Can 26/11 be repeated? Can a boat gin without being detected?' Within the confine of this room, sir, my answer would still be 'yes'. We apprehend that. We have to improve," Mathur is quoted as telling the committee. It's not clear exactly when Mathur, who retired earlier this year, was testifying.

Mathur did not react on his statement made public. He had told the committee that it was not about adding more military assets to the force, but also work towards overall improvement of capabilities.

"We have to improve. We have to improve much more. Therefore, what I feel is that other than the assets, there is a whole lot of work which needs to be done by Coast Guard to be able to achieve that level. I think we are fairly long way off from that position," he is quoted as saying.

Mathur was detailing problems faced in regulating and monitoring the unorganised fishing sector that has over 1.99 lakh boats, many of which are not even registered.

(Image: Indiatimes)