UNFORTUNATE ADVENT OF SUICIDE BOMBING IN INDIA
Before early eighties, law & order was not as much of a challenge as it has become now. No doubt disturbances would occur everywhere but those were resolved sooner than later due to co-operation of Peace committees & community leaders with the District administration. Places having lingering disputes, such as Naxalism, insurgency in the North East and religious fundamentalism in Punjab and J & K, however, would be kept under close watch because of their longevity.
Deviant acts were not planned as meticulously as these are, nowadays. Gradually, these have taken the shape of extremism and terrorism.
TERRORISM , PER SE
Terrorism can be called a tendency to use violent means against non combatants with a view to achieve some political or ideological objectives. It may be referred to as act of intentional violence, perpetrating fundamentalism and criminality.
Felt kind of contemporary terrorism can be criminal, psychic, political and war terrorism.Their types vary according to the form and intention of the violent acts.The techniques, such as, damage to property, use of guns, bombs and missiles, intimidation, kidnapping, seizure pf hostages, hijacking etc. have direct and long term implications on internal security situation. A state of extreme fear, anxiety and insecurity is created among the innocent masses. With the collapse of law and order machinery, social order also begins cracking and the terrorists exploit such a situation by projecting themselves as a better alternative against the lawful / legal authorities. Afghanistan earlier and Syria in recent past could be the burning examples.
THE FACILITATORS
Over the years, through networking facilitated by Internet, Lap Top, Cell Phone, Social Media sites etc, terrorists have succeeded in networking and developing bases all over the world.
Even in small urban centres, it may be happening due to easy access to latest means of communication as also growth and expansion of higher education. Access to a computer ,Lap top, Cell phone, Whatsapp and social media sites is playing havoc or adding fat to the fire.
Unemployed persons, educated lots, such as, Teachers, Professors and Engineers earlier and Doctors now,are coming under the impact of indoctrination rather swiftly in the “earmarked centres” and subsequently they succeed in using latest, rather, upgraded gadgets, arms and ammunitions.
But the happening of SUICIDE BOMBING in the country should lead to more High Alerts and ring the alarm bells everywhere.
A common Indian may think that errant, deviant or disruptive acts graduating into terrorist ones, have been happening in India mainly for four decades or so but in the developed nations it had made inroads long long ago. It would happen prior to or during the World Wars as well.
SMALL ARMS PROLIFERATION
Access to small and medium arms has been found to be a necessity for deviant and lethal acts.These are accessed relatively easily in many countries. Wherever it has been a reverse situation, illegalities enter the fray. Outside forces study and exploit the vulnerable situation for a while. But a day comes when they begin firing shots from the shoulders of willing lots.
ORGANISED CRIMES
If one looks at reach and tentacles of organised crime, in modern times, the advent of Black September, a Palestinian outfit formed in Seventees of last Century against the Israelis comes to mind immediately. Not only it survived for a long time, it also left its negative impact far & wide. Who can forget the brutal murder of 12 Israeli athletes and officials by it in the midst of Munich Olympics in 1972 ?
Inter Services Intelligence (ISI of Pakistan), Markaz-e-Dawat-ul-
Irshad (MDI), Lashkar-e-Toiba(LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen(H.M.) Tabligh Jamaat, Jamat e Islami (Hind), SIMI, Al Queda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Harkat ul Ansar(HUA), Jais-e- Mohammed (JeM), to name a few, have been obstinate, brutal and die hard followers, if not off shoots.
——————————————–
FIVE NEW DEVELOPMENTS
ON TERRORISM FRONT IN INDIA
Against the above background, if we analyse the unprcedented Suicide Bomb blast at a traffic signal near Gate 1 of Metro Station, Red Fort in Delhi at 6.58 p.m. on November 10, five New Developments become noticeable :
*People belonging to a noble medical profession have volunteered to perform the nasty and inhuman act for the first time. With this episode they seem to have become actively involved on terrorism front. Shockingly, it includes women practioners as well, who had got through tough medical entrance tests and had completed their education by availing of Government funds.
For all of them medicine appeared to be only a cover up, as sufficient supplenentary income would come easily from elsewhere,
*For the first time a private University, barely 30 to 35 kms away from country’s capital was working as a base for nefarious acts.It is high time working of such centres of “high learning” is seriously put under regular scrutiny,
*Phenomenon of Suicide Bombing which had become a favourite or last weapon to achieve unconvincing goals in Middle East, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, a few European counties, U.S.A. etc, is now taking place in India, that too by influencing and brain washing a 36 year old Specialist Professional.
*No one has claimed responsibility for the Delhi blast , even after twelve days of its happening. Moreover, whereabouts of two other suspects/occupants of the ill fated car is not yet known. Further, contradictory reports have figured regarding the number also.
*New kind of explosives are now being used. It is suspected to be Ammonium Nitrate, NOT RDX. Initial marks and observations on faces and bodies of victims and injured have indicated so.
DID BLAST HAPPEN DUE TO INTELLIGENCE FAILURE ?
Not a single head has rolled thus far (presumably due to political patronage), either in field policing or intelligence set up at the centre. Also some so called Specialists are sticking to their chairs for over a decade. It needs to be understood that bringing in fresh blood always adds to the efficiency and sharpness of the investigation and prosecution mechanism. At the same time, the prevailing practice of giving extensions to favourite officers has to be stopped, forthwith.
Not to be FORGOTTEN, like Pahalgam sacrilege in April, Delhi episode is a blatant example of intelligence failure in the heart of national capital. It happens many a time but concerned public representatives and officers continue to hold on to their chairs and are hardly subjected to any questioning, scrutiny and prosecution.
In this context, common man has the right to know that large sums of public money is given in a regular way to Intelligence and Special Branch officials to collect intelligence / vital inputs from agents, informers and ex-criminals is hardly accounted for.
Further, with the rapidly growing crime graph any ruling Government has the right to set up specialised units or agencies in the Police set up but hands get tied when same lot of compromising officers on Central deputation, get circulated into new outfits. Many capable officers posted in states having more expertise and experience, thus miss the bus.
It is a matter of utter shame that spot chosen-a traffic signal in a prime location by the ‘medical terrorists,’ was hardly two hundred metres away from ramparts of Red Fort, wherefrom Prime Ministers have been regularly addressing the nation on Independence Day. Gauri Shanker Temple, a monument located closeby, luckily survived splinters from suicide bombing blast.
DEATHS & DEVASTATION
Eleven to twelve innocent persons have had unnatural deaths ,while over thirty were grievously injured in the massive blast, apart from destruction and damage to four or five cars, a few auto rickshaws, E rickshaws & shops/ stalls. However, number of deaths and damage caused is on much higher side according to informal inputs.
Seriously injured persons were rushed to LNJP hospital not in Ambulances or swanky PCR vans of Delhi Police but mostly in E Rickshaws. Thus injuries inflicted may have got complicated on the way.
VIP VISIT TO AVOID
Any high profile visit to the trouble spot, in the same way, must be avoided. Not only dust has to settle first but crucial sample collection time has to be also adhered to.
Doctors and paramedics have to be permitted also to have only their say under these circumstances rather than being disturbed or answerable to VIP’s. If there is distraction, first aid, bandages and operations get inordinately delayed. One is sure it would not happen in developed countries.
ELUSIVE VEHICLES
Impact of the blast emanating out of a White Hyundai i10 car was such that high flames and overall effect could be felt in an area of 1.5 kms. Later when Police, Fire Brigade and Forensic team arrived, it was estimated to be in the vicinity of three kms.
To make matters worse, body parts were found scattered all over the place.
On the whole, intensity was very high. One was immediately reminded of brutal assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, former P.M. by Dhanu, a woman suicide bomber of LTTE at Sriperumbudur (40 kms off Chennai) in Tamil Nadu on May 25,1991.
The Hyundai car was not the only vehicle used in the operation. News about a red coloured car is also figuring. Besides vehicles used by five to six suspected Doctors of Al Falah Medical University are also under suspicion.
ARRESTS MADE
White Collar Terrorism suspects hailing from Faridabad-Pulwama- Saharanpur terror link arrested so far are:
Dr.Muzammil Ahmed Ganai (35 years) Dr.Adeel Majeed Rather, Dr.(Ms) Shaheen Shahid and Aamir Rashid (a plumber).
Dr.Umar un Nabi(36 years old) allegedly volunteered himself to drive the white Hyundai car from Faridabad to blast site at traffic signal near Gate 1 of Red Fort Metro. He altogether took eleven hours, reportedly took out Rs.76,000 from an ATM on the way, waited at a parking lot and prayed alone at a mosque, before performing the FINAL ACT OF BLOWING HIMSELF OFF.
FOREIGN HANDLERS
Police sources have now revealed that one of the three ‘foreign handlers’ had sent 42 videos on making a bomb to Ganai. DIY( Do it Yourself) method was to be used. Ganai was arrested ten days ahead of blast and 2500 kg of explosives, including 350 kg of Amonium Nitrate was recovered from him.Why could not Police follow up and build up this lead further ?
Further, one Mohammed Shahid Faisal had co- ordinated with similar terrorist modules in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu earlier. Faisal, a former Engineering student from Bengaluru, having been involved in three blasts in South India in 2022 and 2024 had run away to Pakistan, Syria and Turkiye. Another foreign handler in this case is from Turkiye. He uses the pseudonym of Ukasa.
Aamir Rashid , an associate of late Dr. Nabi(car registered in his name) was arrested from his home in Samboora, Pulwama soon after blast. A few more arrests followed in two states and J & K. Last in the series was on November 20 when National Invetigation Agency (NIA) took another four suspects into custody.
FIRST SUICIDE BOMBING IN INDIA
A vehicle borne IED blast was ” valiantly” triggered by Dr. Umer Nabi, a resident of Pulwama and an Assistant Professor in General Medicine Department of Al Falah University of Okhla (Faridabad).
NIA has forensically established his identity. A small piece of his shirt, one shoe, another personal belonging and mangled number plate of car has been recovered.During investigation another vehicle belonging to him has been also seized.
So far, over 73 witnesses have been examined, including the victims and several innocent persons injured in the blast. State Police of Delhi, Haryana, U.P., J & K, high profile NIA etc. are pusuing multiple leads to unearth the “larger conspiracy ” behind the Suicide Bombing.
A lady student of Anantnag Govt.Medical College & a senior and many former colleagues of Dr.Adeel Rather, have been also questioned.
One can take note of existence of Government of same party in two states and two Union Territories (Delhi, U.P., Haryana & J & K). Yet it appears, requisite Police or Special Branch Co-ordination was lacking even after discovery or suspicion regarding storage of huge amount of explosives. Why no one suspected or put on ‘radar’ a Medical University working for so long in such a clandestine manner ?
Many have recalled the horror of 10th November. Vehicles were on fire, fuel tanks of others were bursting and people were running helter skelter. For two days a few constables and Head constables of Delhi Police could not go home. Usual cordoning and barricading the roads happened which restricted further movement of the local people.
“Nobody helped, they were making videos”, recalled Rahul Kaushik with disgust.Glass pieces too got pierced into the forehead, hands and legs of a few persons.Whose fault will it be ?
While survivors recall and cope up with the trauma,
HUNT IS ON FOR Two PHONES & 5 Sims used by DR. UMAR un NABI from October 30 to November 10. Their recovery is likely to throw more light on conspiracy and networking angles.
Further, details regarding ammunition found & evidence collected at the blast site, too appear shrouded in mystery.
WHY IS GOVERNMENT SILENT AFTER DECLARING AFTER PAHALGAM MASSACRE THAT
ACTS OF TERRORISM SHALL BE TREATED AS AN ACT OF WAR ?
LETS HOPE & PRAY
That There Is No Repetition Of :
(a) Widespread violence in many states, connected to demolition of disputed structure at Ayodhya,
(b) Mumbai Serial Blasts of 1993 (84 killed & 217 injured),
(c) Thirteen Blasts that rocked New Delhi in 1997 and
(d) 26/11 Multiple Blasts & murders in Mumbai Again in 2008.
Alok K.Shrivastava,
Ex-Chief Secretary, Sikkim