The Indian Air Force has transferred the air officer commanding the Pathankot airbase, Air Commodore JS Dhamoon, to the Air Headquarters at New Delhi. He has been replaced by Air Commodore Anuj Mishra before the end of his two-year tenure at Pathankot.

The Times of India reported that the IAF claimed it was a “routine transfer for administrative reasons”, even as a committee investigates the breach of security that led to the attack on the air base last month. Dhamoon was the commander of the Pathankot airbase when suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists breached its perimeter security early last month. Seven security personnel were killed in the siege. His transfer comes while a five-member investigative panel headed by Lieutenant General Philip Campose (retd) is undertaking a comprehensive security audit and coming up with standard operating procedures for all defence installations in India to prevent such attacks in the future. The committee, formed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, has been asked to submit its report by March 31.