Is Bangalore prepared for a terror attack?

Is Bangalore prepared for a terror attack?

K.V. Subramanya

Public spaces such as parks, shrines, and bus and railway stations are very vulnerable

The city needs a well-wired intelligence set-up and trained commando force

Police personnel are not trained in intelligence gathering and use of sophisticated weapons

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Bracing up: The Bangalore police feel the immediate need is to put in place a visible surveillance system all over the city.

BANGALORE: Yet again the air is thick with the same question: How safe is Bangalore? The recent terror attacks in Mumbai have once again turned the focus not only our city’s vulnerability to such strikes but also on the preparedness, or rather the ill-preparedness, of the police to prevent, neutralise and counter such acts.

It is no more a secret that Bangalore is high on the terror radar. The attack on the Indian Institute of Science in December 2005 and the serial blasts in July 2008 have proved that unlike in the past, Bangalore is no more a mere haven for terrorist groups and, the IT capital is now one of their major targets.

Intelligence reports and interrogation of several arrested terror suspects had indicated that the Vidhana Soudha and the Vikasa Soudha, the ISRO, other defence establishments and leading IT companies such as Infosys and Wipro were likely targets.
Sitting ducks

Accordingly, the police have heightened security at these buildings/establishments. But, an analysis of terror strikes at various metros in the country reveals that more than these iconic buildings and establishments, Bangalore’s poorly-guarded hotels, malls, parks, shrines, courts, railway stations and bus stations are more prone to such attacks.

The shootings at the Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai and the serial blasts at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chats in Hyderabad clearly demonstrate that Bangalore is ever-crowded and poorly guarded City Market and the Kempegowda Bus Station; Kanteerava Stadium and Palace Grounds, the common venues of consumer and book fairs, exhibitions and sports meet that attract thousands of people are highly susceptible to terror attacks.
Inadequate intelligence

However, Bangalore/Karnataka sadly lacks and badly needs a well wired intelligence setup and professionally trained commando force to prevent, mitigate and counter such attacks.

Sources in the Bangalore police told The Hindu that apart from establishing a full-fledged Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) comprising an intelligence wing and an operational unit, the immediate need was to put in place a visible surveillance system all over the city.

There is hardly any police presence on Bangalore roads. Deploying armed police personnel in good numbers in crowded places would not only deter terrorists but also raise the confidence of the people, the sources said.

The bane of the Karnataka/Bangalore police is that the majority of them are not trained in intelligence gathering and use of sophisticated weapons. In fact, Home Minister V.S. Acharya himself said at a press conference on Friday that the Karnataka police were ill-equipped to handle terrorist-related activities as they are trained only in the traditional duties such as maintaining law and order and crime prevention and detection. The Government has finally woken up to the security challenges and has announced it will create a 750-strong ATS that would perform multiple functions. Sources said it will take a few months before the ATS becomes operational as the personnel have to be thoroughly trained. As in the Defence forces, the ATS personnel should be put on rigorous drill regularly to ensure that they are fully fit and prepared for action at a short notice.

According to Additional Director-General of Police D.V. Guruprasad, who had earlier headed the State intelligence wing, the State police should learn some lessons from the Mumbai attacks. To ensure that hostage rescue operations are conducted successfully without much loss of life, the police should ask the managements of all leading hotels, malls and multi-storeyed complexes to submit a blueprint of their buildings to the jurisdictional police stations, Mr. Guruprasad opined.

Bangalore’s Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Gopal B. Hosur said that after the IISc. Shootout — the first terrorist act in the State — the Bangalore police have prepared a databank on various terrorist outfits.

The data would be of great help in preventing and investigating terror attacks. Mr. Hosur said, in the past three years, a section of police officers in Bangalore had been sensitised on tackling terrorist activities.