The Week Begins on A Sad Note

Series of bomb blasts in the Pink City have taken a toll of 70 innocent lives and another 150 are seriously injured. Eight blasts within 15 minutes in busy localities of old Jaipur City late May 13 evening.The TV news channels are carrying live statements of politicians; scenes of the blasts; and interviews of the affected people and their families. The usual political blame games have begun between the BJP ruled state and the Congress led Central governments.What is particularly annoying for people like me who know what intelligence and policing is all about is this talk of Central Intelligence Agency ( Congress) failure; state police( BJP) not doing its job etc etc.TV channels have turned into investigating agencies, providing various clues to the identity of the culprits and naming outfits responsible.

As a former cop and Sleuth, the following issues come to my mind-

(i) What is the motive of the groups who have caused these blasts and similar blasts elsewhere in the country in the past? What are they trying to achieve?

(ii) Can something be done to prevent them?

Before I attempt to answer these questions, let us look at the facts ( available from media channels)- There is no doubt that it was a carefully planned action in which more than one person was involved. Several teams must have been used by a Master Mind - those who imported and collected the explosives, detonators etc;the experts who assembled the IED; those who surreptitiously planted them at the vantage points- all very crowded places (probably at night) by dodging police and night watchmen vigils, so close to Police Stations; and finally, those who set the clocks ticking. The modus operandi of the 9 blasts strongly suggests that timer devices were used to trigger the blasts, to coincide with the maximum crowds gathered near the temples on a Tuesday evening Jaipur city is the pride of Indians for its traditional secular, peaceful and prosperous social milieu.It is the capital of Rajasthan, home to the Marwari community which like the Jewish, are master businessmen, and a fovourite with foreign tourists.

To revert to the two questions raised above. The motive was apparently to cause terror in the minds of the people of Jaipur and the rest of the country by striking at soft targets to achieve maximum loss of lives and to send out the message that India is not a safe destination.

Let's face facts-total prevention of such attacks by by policing is not possible,though intelligence driven operations that are able to penetrate the terrorist groups and better TECHINT inputs can produce some results. Such operations call for very professional planning and execution by highly skilled and motivated Intelligence operatives . It does not matter whether they are from Central or state agencies.In fact, the state intelligence set ups mostly known as Special Branches have a better chance of succeeding because of superior local knowledge and support of the Thana police. But where are the professional intelligence operatives? The situation on the ground is not conducive to effective counter terrorism intelligence. The best in the police forces want to remain in the executive police wings and the SBs energies are wasted, resources are inadequate and they are not given the requisite leagal and political freedom. Clearly, total lack of depth and foresight in the political and bureaucratic leaderships in the states.

Finally, unless every resident and shop keeper in crowded localities in our big cities ( towns appear safer at the moment)becomes an unpaid Intelligence Agent to report the slightest sign of suspicious or out of the ordinary activity to the local police OR intelligence officer, the terrorists shall continue to strike with impunity and get away. To think that either the police or Intelligence agencies will be able to stop such actions is to live in a fool's paradise.

Not very long ago,the 'Jehadis' tried to target market places in Tel Aviv capital of Israel which tops the list of most hated states by Islamic terrorists.But they soon gave up after being caught quickly by 'Shin Bet'.In Israel, which possibly faces the highest terrorist threat quotient in the world, every second taxi driver, shopkeeper and vendor acts as the eyes and ears of the security agencies. The Israeli police largely remains invisible, and yet it is the most effective! Why? In this context, a complete overhall of the intelligence machinery in India to meet the meance of terrorist violence ( not likely to go away) is called for.

The above tragedy ( man made) which struck India was preceded by another caused by nature in Sichuan province of China by a devastating earth-quake reading 7.8 on the Richter scale. Several thusand have lost their lives and thousands more remain untraced. Estimates of loss to property are not yet available.. But the Chinese know how to cope with natural calamities and I am sure shall overcome this tragedy.

It is the year of the Rat, according to the Chinese calender. I think I read somewhere that such years are marked by mass sufferings. Am I right?

The day after terrorists struck in Jaipur, Delhi and UP were hit by very strong dust storm with wind velocity exceeding 100 KMPH. A large number of trees got uprooted all over Delhi causing damage to cars and also to built up areas. Have you ever wondered why so many trees get uprooted in Delhi by thunder and dust storms? The civic authorities, who make cemented pavements around well established trees with the laudable motive of keeping the city green, of course, are to blame.
By cementing the areas around trees, they weaken the roots which are deprived of their natural intake of food and water, and not able to provide the anchorage to the huge trees with their full load trunks , branches and leaves against the strong winds.Again, lack of professional planning by the City Masters, comprising mostly generalist politicians and bureaucrats.


Nature and the human species are the two most fascinating objects of my quest with life.The first surprises me every day, and the second occasionally, when I have the time to ponder.Nature first- How have the hybrid petunias ( a winter annual) in my home garden survived the Delhi scorching summer heat and continue to bloom. I am carrying two photos of my petunias taken yesterday. How the very hot spells keep getting interrupted by dust and thunder storms which arrive quite unexpectedly in Delhi, is another natural phenomena I am not able to fully comprehend but marvel at, though weather men keep ascribing them to "local disturbances".The one last night also took Delhiites by surprise and "washed out" the Delhi Vs Mohali IPL game at the Feroz Shah Kotla, but brought the much needed relief from the sweltering heat to the city.

Before I close I must tell you about a small but wonderful gesture of a young NRI couple living abroad taking over the responsibility of educating Lakhu's( our domestic for over twenty years) two daughters( 1 and 3 years old )who live with his wife, parents, brother's family and eldest child (a son) in Village 'Piuan Tal' in 'Mau Nath Bhanjan' District in a remote, backward and poor corner of UP. They eke out their living from the fish they catch and by tilling a tiny piece land that they own, supplemented by Lakhu's monthly income, in no small measure. They have made an FD in Lakhu's name, the interest out of which will pay for the education of the two girls and the principal amount to be made use of when they are ready for marriage.Those who are aware of ground realities of the plight of daughters born into poor vallage families in India would realise the significance of this. God shall certainly bless them both and their own little daughter for this.

A little more about Lakhu (real name Lekh Raj), s/o Kalpu Mallah. He belongs to the Kewat( boat men)caste and is a total illiterate. Ran away from school and home after being thrashed by the village school teacher to Mumbai where he worked at juice stalls and Dhabas but kept going back to his parents and village. He was brought to us by a Thakur Inspector of police( who had worked under me) from his village when he was 16 years of age. He was clad in a " Lungi" and Tea- shirt." Sahib I know this boy's family and he shall be honest and faithful. But please do periodically thrash him, or else he is likely to go astray in the city of Delhi" was his sane advice!! Bsically, I had requested the Thakur Inspector for a domestic help to look after our two children who were then 10 and 7 years of age.

Since then he has been with us though thick and thin like a member of the family.Lakhu is a born sports man ( left arm pace bowlerwiith a natural swing, and tennis player), a fantastic cook, specialising in hot fish & mutton curries,a gardener, plus an electrician cum carpenter, all without being able to read or write ABC in Hindi or Enlish.Lakhu took to life in the US where he lived with us for 4 years, like fish to water.He was a hit with our mainly white( Jewish)neighbourhood in the upmarket Potomac suburb of Washington DC for his helpful and cheerful disposition. " Hi Raj How'er you doin?",they greeted him while walking past our house, while he was tending our garden with the various gardening gizmos he became very adept with. " Fine and you?" Lakhu would wave back at them!!No one at home was better aware of the displays and pricing of various merchandise in the stores like " Home Depots, Safe ways,Giants, Sears, Walmarts and K Marts".He was also very confident about the maze of express ways and city roads. Did he follow his horse sense, I often wondered?

More next week.Lots of good wishes and love till then