A visit to the scene by this reporter revealed that the centre set up on a two-acre chunk of land had fence-free five to six feet boundary wall. Three security officials equipped with only two rifles were said to be deployed to guard the centre.

The assailants first threw hand grenades from outside and later scaled the boundary wall to enter the premises and then sprayed a volley of bullets on the instructors and recruits when they were busy in the routine morning drill.

A police official, who escaped unhurt, told Dawn that a 'Santri' posted along the boundary wall was the first victim of the assailants. He said three retired army officials on guard duty escaped from the main gate to save their lives.

He, however, claimed that the three security officials were unable to hold fire against the attackers because of the ensuing stampede.

Khan Zaman, who is additional general manager of a private company's depot adjacent to the centre, told Dawn that he had never seen more than four to five security officials deployed at the three gates.

He claimed that he had suggested several times to the police high-ups deputed at the centre to place security along 1,000-foot combined wall, but to no avail.

A senior police officer, who was part of the operation's team, commented that following the attacks on the police establishments, especially police training schools in NWFP, concrete measures should have been taken in Lahore but unfortunately all this went unheeded.

He said it was the duty of the government to generate special funds to secure the police training schools with proper and adequate security and infrastructure.

There are three such schools in the provincial capital which include Police Training School in Chuhng, its subsidiary Police Training School in Manawan and Elite Police Training School on Bedian Road.

Besides, the Punjab police have training schools in Multan, Farooqabad (Sheikhupura), Sargodha, Rawalpindi and a police training college in Sihala. 

No preventive measures were taken to reinforce the security of Manawan Training School after the suicide attack on Sargodha Police Training School during Musharraf regime.

A police source told Dawn that a warning letter was also dispatched to the Punjab police by the federal government a few days ago about a possible attack on a police establishment.

Adviser to prime minister on interior Rehman Malik, while talking to reporters, also hinted at intelligence information of possible attack by any banned outfit.

He told reporters during his visit to the scene that before the holding of long march, they had received information about likely terror attacks.