While the police is investigating if the Indian Mujahideen or the Students Islamic Movement of India had a role in the Mumbai blasts, they are also probing if a second rung of the underworld executed the attack. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
Soon after the serial blasts in Mumbai the home minister and the police said they are exploring all possible angles to the case. While the Indian Mujahideen is a prime suspect, the police are also probing if a second rung of the underworld executed the attack?
Though no strong leads have emerged, sources say they are probing this angle as well. They say that it cannot be ruled out as of now if there was a fringe element of the underworld that could have executed this attack.
The question therefore is what this fringe element of the underworld would gain from an attack of this nature.
Sources say that there is a turf war that is on between a section of the underworld and terror groups. Terrorism has become more lucrative for some youngsters because it not only pays better but also gives them a sense of satisfaction that they are doing something for a cause.
Homegrown terror has emerged in a big way over the past couple of years and the recruitment drive by terror groups has been intense. Intelligence Bureau officials say that several thousand youngsters have been roped in for terror activities and a large chunk of them have been picked up from the underworld.
Terrorism has taken centre stage in the areas of crime, which has made the underworld suffer. Extortions and hawala transactions that was the trademark of the underworld is now being carried out by terror groups. This has put a section of the underworld or the second rung of this network out of business.
They have also started noticing that a large number of the youth who would have ideally moved into the underworld are now taking the path of terror for the lure of money.
In addition to this, the masters of these terror groups have proved to be more loyal compared to the underworld. When a recruitment of a terrorist takes place, he is not only assured money, but their families are also taken care of. In addition to this, they are also brainwashed constantly to make them believe that they are doing something for the cause of their community.
The interrogation of various cadres has gone on to show that the masters or the aakas of these cadres have always lived up to their promise. These aspects have made the youth lean towards the world of terror as opposed to the underworld.
Investigators are now looking into the fringe groups within the underworld which could have executed this blast. There has been a constant attempt on the part of a section of the underworld to shut down the terror network so that it would suit their business. What sources say is that by executing an attack of this nature, the heat would obviously fall on the terror groups and the police would do its best to shut down the network.
This would result in a spate of arrests, which would act as a deterrent to the youth into taking the terror path. Such an attack would obviously lead one to believe that the usual terror suspects carried out the attack, which would mean that the heat on these groups would go up.
Once the police start pursuing these terror groups it would automatically weaken them and several youth who would be out of work would return to work for the underworld.
Moreover, the usual businesses which were carried out by the underworld and which were taken over by terror would come back to them. Intelligence inputs have also gone to show that this section of the underworld has been active in the recent past and are making constant efforts to bounce back into business.
Sources say that it is not sufficient if one goes by the signature of the attack. It is not difficult to replicate an attack and every terror group has been doing the same in order to divert attention.
Police sources say that they are aware of such a turf war taking place and there is a possibility of one group trying to put the other out of business. This angle is being probed and the investigations as of now remain open ended and there is no particular group that has been pinpointed.
The police are interrogating operatives of the IM and Students Islamic Movement of India, and turf war aspect of this case. However, it would take some time since the issue is complex in nature. CCTV footage is being examined and local modules too are being scrutinised. Locals and fringe members of the underworld too are being questioned and it is only a matter of time before the real culprits emerge, police sources say.
