Red Fort incident calls for stern action against terrorism

One reason this attack did not worsen was the vigilance and quick action of Dr G V Sandeep Chakravarthy, a 2014-batch IPS officer. Some people only looked at posters and moved on, while officer Sandeep saw a plot behind them. That led to uncovering 2,900 kilograms of IEDs, sleeper cells and networks, and the plot to destabilise the entire country. Sandeep is a source of pride for all Telugu people as he belongs here

The terrifying explosion at Delhi’s Red Fort on the evening of November 10 shocked nearly every country, including ours, already reeling under countless terror acts. That some people were killed and others wounded is deeply tragic. Acts born of brutal mindsets produce events like this and leave indelible scars on humanity. The government has registered cases under the relevant laws and handed the investigation over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Preliminary evidence indicates that the vehicle involved in the blast belonged to a doctor named Umar-un-Nabi, reportedly from Pulwama district. Agencies say another doctor, Muzamil Ahmad Ganai, visited Red Fort in January. Ganai was arrested by Jammu & Kashmir police on October 30. Photographs of both men have been obtained by investigators.

Both doctors are from Pulwama and work at Al-Falah University (Haryana). There is also evidence that Dr Ganai and his brother visited Turkey a few years ago. Investigators suspect that through a handler they established links with Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based terrorist organization.

It’s wrong to put the whole university on the suspect list just because these two people work there. That’s exactly what terrorists want—to provoke religious frenzy between communities, drive them apart, and carry on with their agenda. Preventing that is the urgent duty of governments, rulers, opposition parties, political leaders, and citizens. So long as politics stays out of it, religious disputes flare up here and there, but they don’t usually result in mass killings, house burning, entrenched hatred, and the exploitation of leaders by a few who enter politics for personal gain. Those people incite both communities and turn society into a fractured, caste- and communalized one. Ordinary disputes between individuals happen, but religious conflicts should never be allowed to take hold. Once society splits into hostile groups, the violence spreads uncontrollably. Only firm legal action to crush these religious confrontations can restore harmony.

One reason this attack did not worsen was the vigilance and quick action of Dr G V Sandeep Chakravarthy, a 2014-batch IPS officer. Some people only looked at posters and moved on, while officer Sandeep saw a plot behind them. Looking into this interesting case reveals both his insight and the prompt steps he took.

He noticed Jaish-e-Mohammad posters in Newgam, Kashmir, and launched an inquiry. That led to the uncovering of 2,900 kilograms of IEDs, sleeper cells and networks, and plans to destabilize the entire country. If he had dismissed it as just a poster, the nation could have faced many explosions. This officer has already received six gallantry awards. Sandeep is a source of pride for all Telugu people as he belongs here.

Many more facts will only come to light after carrying out a full investigation. It is now becoming clear that the doctor killed in the blast had links with many people in the country, and that some of them were trying to carry out “terror strikes” — fortunately this plot appears to have been uncovered.

Decisions should not be made merely on suspicion without evidence. That is why the Government of India, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other agencies are conducting a careful, in-depth probe. If news organizations and opposition parties handle this matter responsibly, the truth will emerge more quickly; otherwise, people will create obstacles by shifting blame and confusing the issues. It is true and worrying that organized crimes are occurring more often.

An official from the United States told the media that it is noteworthy that our investigative agencies are conducting a systematic inquiry — a remark that can also be read as an indirect condemnation of the terrorists’ actions. It is also telling that the country’s defense secretary spoke with India’s foreign minister Dr S Jaishankar, to get more details in the current situation.

In recent times, counter-terrorism measures have clearly been producing results, especially since the NDA government took office. Terrorist actions have been shaking many countries. Bombings and attacks have at times pushed our own nation into very serious situations. By strictly enforcing laws and strengthening central investigative agencies, the government has largely been able to put a check on terrorist activities — and that’s a fact.

The Centre has also been alerting states that might be vulnerable and getting them to take preventive steps in advance, which has in many cases prevented problems from arising. Many plots are foiled at the outset thanks to vigilant police forces and investigative agencies such as the NIA. Ordinary citizens cannot be expected to take all the precautionary measures themselves, but whenever an incident like the one at Red Fort occurs anywhere in the country, it naturally causes alarm, and opposition leaders and the media sometimes try to blame the central and state governments.

If everyone recognizes that this is unhelpful and offers constructive cooperation to the authorities, counter-terrorism efforts will be more effective. Immediately after this incident, arrests were made across the country, and weapons and explosives were seized, preventing potential dangerous outcomes.

Terrorists aim to create chaos by provoking incidents like at the Red Fort, but if counter-terrorism actions enable the government to strike back effectively, their plans fail. That is why vigilance and everyone’s cooperation are necessary.

(The writer is a retired IPS officer, who has served as an Additional DGP of Andhra Pradesh)