Terror Attack and the Security Concern

FLASH BACK 01

Last 3 Days of My Life:

28 July 08- 6:55 am

I called my elder brother to inform that the North East Express was on time and Babu (My Father) and Mejhomaam (My maternal Uncle) have started their journey towards Assam. He was sleeping and received my message unmindfully. At 56 seconds of my call when I was about to disconnect, my BigB suddenly uttered “Listen” in an authoritative voice. I was confused. “What?” came from my mouth instantly. He told me not to loiter unnecessarily and not to think about films for next few days. What the hell? He must have gone crazy..... I was more concerned about my mobile bill but then also asked him unwontedly, what’s the matter? He started telling me about the Bangalore and Ahmedabad BOMB BLAST and news channels are telling every now and then that Delhi is under threat with some other places. Something bad is surely going to happen. Maa is also thinking about me... blah, blah, blah. I patiently assured that I would take care of myself and cut off the call. Mobile showed the summery of the last call- 6: 55 Seconds.

28 July 08- 4:14 pm

One of my friends called me and inquired about where I am? I was in cyber cafe and wishing to save my every precious moments by disconnecting the call as soon as possible. I asked her why did she call? She told me that while coming from her office she had noticed that Delhi Police was announcing the Threat of BOMB BLAST and advising people to inform the authority if anything unidentified object was seen. They were also prescribing the precautions to be taken and blah, blah, blah..... My friend went to my room and seeing lock in my door called me to made me aware. She felt this responsibility towards me because I don’t have any common sense and always loiter without informing anyone. I listened all her lecture and promised to go home direct, once the work is done and pushed the End button.

29 July 08- 3:37 pm

I picked up my Girl Friend’s call and an angry voice came from the other side. She was shouting because she had been calling from the morning and I didn’t receive any of her call. I tried to clarify that earlier I was sleeping and couldn’t get her last two calls because I was in bathroom. After a few minutes effort she became calm and asked me what I was doing? I told her that I was leaving for one of our friend’s room where I was planning to go for last six days. Hearing this, she hurriedly started persuading me not to go anywhere as everyone in her office is talking about the threat of BOMB BLAST. She made me count the prime targets of Delhi and she was almost crying when she uttered ”Delhi Metro” as I am a daily passenger of it. I tried to tell her that nothing would happen and I would come soon but she was not in a mood to listen to me. “What the hell?’ sentence came to my mind but I instantly deleted the thought and started thinking what reasonable argument I could put forward. My thought was in mid way when my girl friend gave me ultimatum that if I go anywhere, then se wouldn’t talk to me anymore and ..... We talked for a few minutes more and ended the conversation with a promise that I wouldn’t go to my friend’s house that day.

30 July 08- 2:58 pm

I took the call with anger and without hearing anything from that side started telling that my friend who was about to come has not reached yet. Actually, that was the third call from my friend’s house from the morning. My friend was coming from Assam and would stay with me for some days. I had already conveyed to his sister and father in last two calls that as soon as he arrives, to my room, I would make him call to his house. But then again they are calling and asking about him. Irritation was clear in my voice, may be that’s the reason, my friend’s younger sister passed the receiver to her father. Uncle started telling me in an apological voice that TV Channels are showing the threat of BOMB BLAST in Delhi in every two minutes. They were worried and that’s the reason they were making so many calls. Train was scheduled arrival in Delhi was 2 pm and it’s already 3 o’clock. I tried to assure him that a few hours late is very much normal and there’s nothing to worry. I would tell my friend to inform them as soon as reach here. Uncle suggested me for next few minutes to be aware and not to go outside home unnecessarily and also to stop my friend from loitering as he doesn’t know roads and all properly. What’s the benefit of taking such risks? I assured him I would take care and disconnected. A very heavy breath came out of my mouth.

30 July 08- 10:16 pm

One of my friends’ younger brother called to inform me that he has heared from his friends that a few bombs had been found in North Delhi area where accidentally I am staying now. He felt the urgency and called me immediately. I thanked him for his concern and also suggested him to take care as he is also staying in Delhi. I ended the call saying “Good Night”

PRESENT SITUATION

Headlines of the hour (Mukkhya Samachar)- 31 July 08

Instead of election oriented planning and sharper focus on economic reforms, terrorism has become the central agenda for the UPA Government with intelligence and geopolitical assessments indicating that terror groups are planning more attacks against Indian targets in the coming months.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil held a High-Level meeting to review the internal security situation.

The Government’s assessments acknowledges and takes into account the deep tentacles Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islam (HuJI) have developed aided by the co-operation of home grown radical groups like Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Cabinet Committee on Security said Maharashtra and Delhi were very much on the terror radar. More than 3000 extra Policemen has been deployed in Delhi and Army has been called for Ahmedabad.

27 new bombs found in Surat and new Emails are threatening fresh attacks in various parts of the country. Police department has been felt the need of more Bomb-Disposal Expert and telling Cyber Cafes to install CCTV.

Terror attack has injected a sense of urgency in the government’s plan to roll out its ‘Mega City Policing’ guidelines. The idea which centers around city specific policing plan with a separate budget- is aimed at providind helicopters, sophisticated gadgets and aerial surveillance equipments to police in seven big cities- Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. It was decide to finalise the modalities of the plan at the earliest.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi floated the idea of setting up an Indian Intelligence Service (IIS) on lines of Indian Police Service (IPS). Government thinks that there is a need also to study how Mossad and KGB have been operating by creating a separate cadre.

Political Experts are saying, if the government continues to appear on the back foot over combating terrorism there would be a political price to pay.

FLASH BACK 02

Last 3 Years of Threat:

28 July 2005

Place : JAUNPUR

No.of Bomb Blast : 1

People Killed : 14

People Injured : 79

29 October 2005

Place : DELHI

No.of Bomb Blast : 3

People Killed : 61

People Injured : 200

7 March 2006

Place : VARANASI

No.of Bomb Blast : 3

People Killed : 20

People Injured : 100

14 April 2006

Place : DELHI

No.of Bomb Blast : 2

People Killed : 0

People Injured : 13

11 July 2006

Place : MUMBAI

No.of Bomb Blast : 7

People Killed : 150

People Injured : 300

8 September 2006

Place : MALEGAON

No.of Bomb Blast : 3

People Killed : 38

People Injured : 100

18 February 2007

Place : PANIPATH

No.of Bomb Blast : 2

People Killed : 68

People Injured : 125

18 May 2007

Place : HYDERABAD

No.of Bomb Blast : 1

People Killed : 16

People Injured : 50

25 August 2007

Place : HYDERABAD

No.of Bomb Blast : 2

People Killed : 42

People Injured : 50

11 October 2007

Place : AJMER

No.of Bomb Blast : 1

People Killed : 2

People Injured : 17

15 October 2007

Place : LUDHIANA

No.of Bomb Blast : 1

People Killed : 7

People Injured : 32

19 November 2007

Place : UP CIVIL COURT

No.of Bomb Blast : 6

People Killed : 13

People Injured : 40

13 May 2008

Place : JAIPUR

No.of Bomb Blast : 9

People Killed : 68

People Injured : 150

25 July 2008

Place : BANGALORE

No.of Bomb Blast : 8

People Killed : 1

People Injured : 9

26 July 2008

Place : AHMEDABAD

No.of Bomb Blast : 19

People Killed : 49

People Injured : 114

MORAL OF THE STORY

Terrorist Attacks kill many innocent people. Media starts crying day and night (Mainly because of TRP), Security agencies become hyper-active all of a sudden (To create an illusion among the ordinary people), Statements from the Intelligence wings show that they knew everything (To hide their inefficiency), Government holds some High-Level Meetings, express their concern for security, promises some effective measures, announces some compensation for the family of the victims, We, the aam-admi hear about all these and become fearful, sometimes gossip about this accidents…… And after a few days, we all- the aam-admi, Media, Security Agencies, Intelligence Wings and the Government forget about it, except the poor family members and friends who lost their beloved ones in such attacks.

Bomb Blasts, Terror attacks and the Threat to Security are common things to us. These accidents are occurring so frequently that we, the aam-admi are becoming habituated to these.

Despite numerous promises from the authority after the repeated attacks on the national security and loss of thousands of citizen, far from being assured we always hear stories of fear, complacency, apathy and negligence. We, the aam-admi are also very intelligent. We know nothing is going to change, so, we have stopped caring about such matters long ago and left everything for our Bhagya (Luck), Vidata(God) and Bhagya-Vidata(Government).

My friends would scold me because I’ve written so much just to tell this simple thing. Lack of Security is apparent in everyplace of the country, so, if a few bomb blasts, what’s the big deal? Isn’t it buddies?

WHAT THE HELL? Huh…..