| |
| | |  Advertisement | | |
| |
November 17, 2007 17:45 IST
When terror struck Hyderabad, every South Indian stood up and took notice. A feeling that terror had visited their backyard started sinking in. The case was similar in case of Bangalore too.
The attack on the Indian Institute of Science, in which a professor was killed, was labelled as a terror attack. Ironically, police continue to scratch their heads over the case and is slowly but surely attaining the label of an unsolved mystery.
Following these attacks, the Intelligence Bureau had sounded an alert stating that IT firms for which Bangalore is so famous for are next on the terror hit list. IT companies swear that their security is in place, but also add that help from the government is required.
Several months have passed, but till date Bangalore continues to be vulnerable to terror strikes and for this horrid scenario, following are the reasons.
For starters, Bangalore lacks the requisite equipment to handle such a situation. There are various areas in Bangalore which continue to be prone to terror attacks. As of now it is only the Vidhan Soudha, which has the most secure devices in place.
If an IT firm was to be attacked, it will not only cause panic among investors world wide but also dent the economy. Security is slack in these places with only security guards manning the buildings. Infosys [Get Quote] says they have taken utmost care to ensure that security is in place.
The National Disaster Management Authority points out that there is a need to train the security guards in Bangalore as they are not equipped to deal with terror strikes. This brings us to another key issue regarding security agencies who appoint guards without the requisite police verification and training. This will not help, says retired captain Raman Naik.
"Many of my colleagues run security agencies and there are only a handful that adhere to norms. There is a need for the police to be involved in such training programmes. It is impossible for the police to be at every place at all times. Atleast they ought to ensure that training is imparted so that terrorist activities can be combated.
The IB says they have been providing the police with regular updates and information regarding the possibility of terror strikes in Bangalore.
A senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, told rediff.com that they are in constant touch with the IT companies and regular security updates are being provided. The officer also said that they intend to implement programmes to train security guards at all important installations in the city.
While terrorism continues to give the cops sleepless nights another problem is slowly but surely growing in the city. The Anti Terrorist Cell has pointed out that several Naxal camps are being set up in and around the city. The Naxals are imparting training to several unemployed youth in both cities and villages of the state.
| |
Email this Article 
Print this Article