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Dispur today all but made up its mind to accept the ceasefire offer of the Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front, setting the stage for cessation of hostilities with militant outfit active in the two hill districts of Assam.
Soon after the strategy group meeting of the Unified Command, sources said Dispur would take the final decision on the KLNLF’s ceasefire offer in the “next few days” but made it clear that it would not halt counter-insurgency operations. The Unified Command, headed by chief secretary P.C. Sharma, is the three-tier apparatus that plans and executes counter-insurgency operations in the state.
As the period of detention of top Communist Party of India-Maoists (CPI-Maoist) leader Kobad Ghandy completes 90 days on December 20, Delhi Police has moved a trial court seeking extension of time to file charge sheet against him, reports Times of India. In an application filed before a metropolitan magistrate recently, the special cell of Delhi police submitted that they needed time to file the charge sheet against Ghandy. The period of extension for filing the charge sheet can go up to 180 days in accordance with the Act.
NSCN-K claims of ‘arresting’ NSCN-IM ‘functionaries’ in Nagaland
The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) claimed that National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) ‘functionaries’, including ‘chairman’ of the Nationalist Socialist Woman Organization of Nagalim (NSWON) Salem, ‘joint secretary’ Imcha Longkumer and ‘tatar (member)’ Hutovi Chishi, were ‘arrested’, according to Nagaland Post.
The production and appearance of as many as five central executive committee members of the banned ULFA, at present in judicial custody in connection with Tada Sessions Court case number 32/01, was deferred due to ‘security reasons’ today even as Assam Police moved the court through the State Chief Secretary seeking permission for setting up of a court camp to facilitate the same. However, 13 other accused, who are currently on bail, did appear before the court. Those supposed to appear before the court included the recently arrested Sasha Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika against whom production warrants were issued by the court recently.
2010 will be bloodier if offensive is launched: Kishanji
IANS, New Delhi, 22 December : If 2009 was bad, 2010 would be "bloodier" if the government goes ahead with its planned offensive against the Maoist jungle bases, a top Maoist leader has vowed while warning of more retaliatory violence in the months to come. "Home Minister P Chidambaram is a liar. At one level he says the offensive is a media creation but at the same time he is pumping in more troops in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. I understand there is going to be a major crackdown in March," said Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanji, a politburo member of the CPI(Maoist). "If they (security forces) begin their operations, I promise you 2010 will get bloodier. There will be no respite from violence," Kishanji, in charge of operations in eastern India, told IANS in a
telephonic interview from an undisclosed location in West Bengal. Till 15 November this year, over 770 civilians and security personnel were killed in Maoist violence, the largest number of casualties in four years. In Jharkhand alone-one of the worst affected states - there have been 1,885 incidents of violence since 2006.
Priyanka Go-ldar, 9, took a bomb shrapnel in the shoulder in Habra yesterday when gunmen attacked a drawing contest-cum-blood donation camp, killing a Trinamul worker and a Congress activist. But the state’s peddlers of political violence weren’t the only people to have made her suffer since yesterday afternoon. The healthcare system too did — having made her wait seven hours for admission yesterday, a Habra hospital today said it had neither the equipment to pinpoint the splinter in her right shoulder, nor the surgeon to operate on her.
The political parties too did — today’s Trinamul-backed Congress bandh meant she could not be taken to Calcutta’s RG Kar Medical College Hospital for what could be urgent surgery to save a nerve or blood vessel. No politician had the time to arrange transport for her despite requests — they were occupied with transporting the bodies of the slain activists from a Barasat hospital after post-mortem. Priyanka, though, had had the heart to think about others even in the traumatic moment when the shrapnel stung her. Hit on the right shoulder and running in panic, she had stopped to pick up a three-year-old, a fellow drawing contestant, with her left arm.
In the April-May Lok Sabha battle, Maoists had gone on the rampage killing 19 people. With a higher voted turnout expected in the assembly elections in November-December, the killings were expected to shoot up. But the number of violent incidents dramatically came down, leaving only five people dead over the five-phased balloting, even as the voting percentage rose from 53 to 58 percent. The polls ended Dec 18. All the five killed in the assembly elections were security personnel.
The first life was lost Dec 2 in the second phase of elections in Giridih district. In the third phase, two Border Security Force (BSF) men were killed in Maoist firing in Dumka. In the fifth and final round Dec 18, two more security personnel were killed in separate incidents. According to informed sources, the Jharkhand Police and the Election Commission changed strategy to ensure peaceful polling. Police avoided roads where Maoist ambushes and landmine assaults were likely and used helicopters to airlift officials to polling booths.
A total of six helicopters -- four of the Indian Air Force and two of BSF -- were pressed into service. Throughout the staggered election, helicopters were engaged for air surveillance. Since Maoist rebels were believed to have planted landmines on non-tarred roads, the road movement of security forces was restricted and helicopters were used to ferry them, said a police source. During the assembly polls, roads leading to polling booths were guarded by the security forces, which also protected highways by taking up positions on trees and staging flag marches. "We provided security cover to both polling officials and people, resulting in a high turnout of voters," Jharkhand police spokesman V.H. Deshmukh told IANS.
Jharkhand election results seems to be a hung assembly. Hope JMM alliances with either the INC or the BJP and a stable govt is formed. Much of the fire-fighting of the maoists depends on Shibu Soren now. But then there is the Madhu Koda stuff in the sides, hope there is some light somewhere in this mess....
For this to be effected, certain facts have to be recognized and I am not so sure that such recognitions would be palatable especially to the political party he belongs to.
Indian citizens can now fly the National Flag even at night. This is subject to the condition that the flagpole is really tall and the flag itself well-illuminated. The Home Ministry took the decision following a proposal in this regard by industrialist Naveen Jindal, who had earlier won a court battle in the 1990s for flying the national flag (tiranga) as a fundamental right for every citizen.
How does this fit in with duties of internal security? Home Ministry seems to be english parlance for anything and everything. Elsewhere,
Manipur villagers lynch 2 rebels http://telegraphindia.com/1091223/jsp/n ... 897283.jsp
Army shelves plan to storm camps
Apprehension of confrontation with Naga militants in ceasefire with the Centre has forced the army to shelve a plan to storm Ulfa hideouts in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Sources in the army today said there was concrete evidence about Ulfa militants taking shelter in NSCN (Khaplang) camps in Nagaland, bordering Myanmar, and also at a few places along the Nagaland-Arunachal border. “Our spotters have located these camps but the fear is that there are also a large number of Naga militants there and we do not want any kind of confrontation with the NSCN,” an army officer said. The Khaplang group is in ceasefire with the Centre.
“Our hands are tied, otherwise we would have had many Ulfa cadres in custody by now,” the officer said. The sources said Ulfa was not only using these camps in Nagaland to train cadres but also as transit camps to move to-and-fro from Myanmar-based general headquarters. Senior Ulfa leaders based at Myanmar — Jibon Moran, Michael Dekaphukon, Sujit Mohon, Horen Phukon and others — frequently visit these camps, the sources said. “Had the NSCN (Khaplang) not provided logistical support to the Ulfa, by now we could have easily choked the routes the militants take to travel to Myanmar,” the officer said.
It was in such a camp recently that Ulfa’s “2nd lieutenant” Seema Bora was killed and another woman cadre, Satyama Bailung, was injured when “sergeant” Atula Gogoi, alias Prasant, of the outfit fired on them following a quarrel. A meeting was scheduled to be held at the camp prior to the incident and several senior cadres were present there. The sources said there were similar camps in Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Nagaland, where Ulfa militants were taking shelter with Khaplang militants. An Assam police official recently told The Telegraph that several Ulfa cadres had fled their Myanmar camps and were contacting security forces expressing their willingness to come overground. But these cadres were undecided on whether to join the pro-talks group of the Ulfa or surrender. A leader of the pro-talks group said the NSCN (K) had been providing logistical support to the Ulfa in exchange of money for a long time.
Maoist ‘area commander’ and his two accomplices arrested in Bihar
PTI reports that Shankar Sada, a self-styled ‘area commander’ of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) and his two accomplices were arrested from a place under Bakhri Police Station in the Begusarai District on December 22, Police sources said. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a house and arrested Shankar, ‘commander’ of the Kosi belt of the Maoist, and his two associates, the sources said. Shankar and the two others were wanted in connection with several criminal offences, including attack on a patrol and loot of Police rifles, they said.
Meanwhile, the Maoists in Bihar have warned of action against dishonest officials if rampant corruption is not curbed in the implementation of Government sponsored welfare schemes, Police said on December 22, reports IANS. The Maoists in Arwal District asked the authorities to immediately curb rampant corruption in the implementation of the schemes. "We will be forced to take action against corrupt officials," Maoists said in their posters pasted in public places in the District. The Maoists pointed out that rampant corruption was depriving the poor of the benefits of the welfare schemes, a Police officer said. Local dailies reported that the Maoists were angered as there were major leakages in Government-run food schemes.
13 KLO militants acquitted in West Bengal
A Jalpaiguri court on December 22 acquitted 13 Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) militants as the prosecution failed to prove the charges brought against them, reports Telegraph.
Insurgency in Northeast, Maoists and terrorism were three challenges to India’s internal security, says Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram pointed out that the insurgency in the Northeast, Maoists and terrorism were the three challenges to India's internal security, while addressing a conference organised by the Chambers of Industries and Commerce, reports The Hindu. Declaring 2009 to have been "a terror-free year for India, with nine days to go," Chidambaram reaffirmed his Government's stand of zero tolerance for terrorism. He added that the perception that "terrorism was an imported phenomenon" was no longer entirely valid as there were home-grown terrorist groups in India. On the issue of armed insurgency in the northeast, he said that while the creation of sovereign states was out of the question, the Indian Constitution was flexible enough to create forms of governance where the desires and aspirations of the people can be accommodated.
Paramilitary forces will engage Maoists, says Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
Admitting that in dealing with the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) threat, "we had been in a state of denial," Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said on December 22 that the Union Government did not accept the theory of an armed struggle, and that unless the Maoists abjured violence, the paramilitary forces will engage them and reassert the authority of the State, The Hindu reports. Speaking of his Government's decision to send paramilitary forces to reclaim the State's authority over territory lost by it to be followed by rapid development programmes, Chidambaram said the work of paramilitary forces and development could not go hand-in-hand. "In Jharkhand alone, in the past 35 days, a dozen schools have been demolished," he said, adding, that development projects cannot be supported in such a situation. Chidambaram also pointed out that the Jharkhand polls - where the Maoists declared that if anyone went to vote, their thumb would be cut off - proved that "a large number of people support Maoists, not willingly but out of fear."
Further, the Home Minister convened a meeting of chief secretaries and Police chiefs of five Maoist-affected States on December 24 to take stock of their plans to deal with Maoists, reports PTI. During the day-long meeting, the Home Minister will review with chief secretaries and Director Generals of Police of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and Maharashtra their plans in dealing with the Maoists, availability of forces and other operational aspects. Home Ministry sources said Chidambaram will also take stock of development programmes to be carried out by the State Governments in the Maoist-dominated areas once they are freed from the clutches of Naxals through operations.
Meanwhile, the Maoist politburo member Koteshwar Rao alias Kishan told IANS that if 2009 was bad, 2010 would be ‘bloodier’ if the Government goes ahead with its planned offensive against the Maoist forest bases. He warned, "I understand there is going to be a major crackdown in March. If they (security forces) begin their operations, I promise you 2010 will get bloodier. There will be no respite from violence." He added, "This so-called assault against us will backfire. All this talk of war against its own people is humbug and carries no conviction." Kishan said the Maoist leadership had changed its strategy after some top-rung leaders were arrested, adding, "We have learnt our lessons. Our tactics have changed and we won't make similar mistakes again." However, Kishan did hold hope that there could be room for talks with the authorities saying, "We can talk, if there is ceasefire and if there is a withdrawal of forces. But it has to be genuine. Otherwise it has no meaning at all." Kishan refused to comment on reports that a section of Maoists disapproved of methods of ‘indiscriminate killing’ unleashed by him. Media reports have quoted unnamed Maoists in the outfit's West Bengal State unit questioning Kishan's way of dealing with CPI-Marxist sympathisers. "If that was true, then I would not be here. My ways are transparent and there for everyone to see," he said.
Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, who is in custody of state police, is still sticking to his ground of not shelving the demand for sovereignty at any cost. In addition to it, there is no trace of commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah without whom, the Centre thinks, holding of peace talks will not be one in totality. The government wants Rajkhowa not just agree to abjuring violence and dropping “sovereignty” from the agenda, but also to give it in writing to pave the way for talks. With both sides taking contrary stands, the process is stalled.
On the sidelines of a government function here on Tuesday, Gogoi said, “The peace process has not started yet. I believe it will take some more time. I will hold talks within 24 hours if they give it in writing that they will abjure violence and drop the demand for sovereignty.” The first round of talks held with Rajkhowa to persuade him to agree to the terms set by the government failed in Dhaka before the militant leader was handed over to India.
The Intelligence Bureau has put Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata on high alert after specific inputs that Lashkar-e-Toiba militants may strike "in groups".
The spy agency has alerted Mumbai police on November 17 that Christmas and New Year revelers may be targeted by the Pakistan-based terrorist group and the chief conspirator behind the 26/11 terrorist attacks on Mumbai.
"We will be taking precaution and enhance security in the wake of the inputs. Extra security measures will be ensured at high-rise buildings and hotels where people will gather in large numbers to celebrate Christmas and the New Year," a senior police official from Mumbai told MiD DAY over phone.
Though the Bureau has given no specific festival input for Delhi but for all cities it has been mentioned that high-rise buildings and hotels may be high on the hit list of the terrorists. Unlike other times, Kolkata has also been issued the warning.
"We in Delhi will be vigilant to handle any situation. There is enough security in the city. The inputs are not very specific for the national capital security has been enhanced all across the city. Police in mufti have been
deployed in markets, hotels and housing societies," said a senior Delhi Police official, requesting anonymity.
Delhi Police, Public Relations Officer Rajan Bhagat refused to comment on the threat or IB input. "We are prepared to meet all kinds of threats," he said.
A spokesperson for The Claridges hotel in New Delhi confirmed receiving a directive last month from the police to augment security. "Yes, we have received a directive. We are anyway situated in the high security zone, so we have a PCR van stationed outside our gate."
NEW DELHI: Proposing a bold, thorough and radical restructuring of the security architecture at the national level, Union Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday suggested bifurcation of the Home Ministry.
He said subjects not directly related to internal security should be dealt with by a separate Ministry or brought under a separate department in the Home Ministry itself and handled by a Minister independently.
“The Home Minister should devote the whole of his/her time and energy to matters relating to security,” Mr. Chidambaram said. In his view, given the imperatives and the challenges of the times, a division of the current functions of the Ministry of Home Affairs “is unavoidable.”
To counter, prevent and contain a terrorist attack and respond to it should one take place, India must set up the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) by the end of 2010, he said while delivering the 22nd Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment lecture here
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“NCTC would, therefore, have to perform functions relating to intelligence, investigation and operations. All intelligence agencies would therefore have to be represented in the NCTC. But I am clear in my mind that without ‘operations,’ NCTC and the security architecture that is needed will be incomplete. It is the proposed ‘operations’ wing of the NCTC that will give an edge — now absent — to our plans to counter terrorism,” he said.
Mr. Chidambaram said the Ministry of Home Affairs now performed a number of functions that had no direct relation to internal security, which included a division dealing with freedom fighters though it did not have even a desk for dealing exclusively with forensic science.
“There are other divisions or desks that deal with Centre-State relations, State Legislation, Human Rights, Union Territories, Disaster Management, Census etc. These are undoubtedly important functions and deserve close attention. However, internal security is an equally, if not more, important function that deserves the highest attention.”
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Striking a note of caution, Mr. Chidambaram said there was no time to be lost in making a thorough and radical departure from the present structure. “If, as a nation, we must defend ourselves in the present day and prepare for the future, it is imperative that we put in place a new architecture for India’s security.”
He also announced the commencement of two more projects — the first to overhaul the Foreigners Division at a cost of about Rs. 20 crore and the second to adopt mission mode project on immigration, visa and foreigners’ registration and tracking — with the objective of creating a secure and integrated service delivery framework for facilitating legitimate travel and strengthening security. It would network 169 missions, cost Rs. 1011 crore and take four-and-a-half years for full implementation.
I hope he walks the talk. He has raised some very good issues, and they need to be implemented yesterday!
The Intelligence Bureau is 122 years old. It celebrated its centenary in the year 1987. Since 1988, a number of distinguished persons – political leaders, scientists, jurists, police officers and administrators – have delivered the Centenary Endowment Lecture. I find that the subjects chosen by the speakers covered a wide range. I confess that I toyed with the idea of speaking on something totally unrelated to the security establishment. However, I thought that discretion was the better part of valour and settled on a subject that is, I hope, both contemporary and futuristic. I thank Shri Rajiv Mathur, Director, Intelligence Bureau for inviting me to deliver this prestigious lecture.
Violence is Omnipresent
Humankind has, through the millennia, co-existed with violence. Hunting and gathering were marked by violence. Tribal groups employed violence to assert their authority over land to the exclusion of other tribal groups. Kingdoms were established by violence; kings were overthrown by violence. War was invariably an instrument of policy: to be a warrior was an honour and great kings were also great warriors. In the twentieth century alone, humankind witnessed two world wars and many smaller wars. About 15 million people were killed in the first World War. Nearly 60 million died in the second World War. In all the conflicts since 1945, it is estimated that nearly 30 million persons may have been killed.
It is only in the latter half of the twentieth century that the seeds were sown for a movement against war. The famous words of Pope John XXIII come to mind: “No more war, never again war.” Nevertheless, little wars were fought over territories or boundaries. Fierce civil wars were fought, and are being fought, within countries. Nations joined together to fight a despot or eject an invader or quell a rebellion. As I speak to you, there is an “official” war in Afghanistan and many more unofficial battles. A world free from war appears to be a distant dream. While accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, the President of the United States and the Commander-in-Chief of the world’s mightiest armed forces said: “We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth that we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations – acting individually or in concert – will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.”
Can war be justified? It is a debatable point. Those who justify war point to the larger objectives of a war. That was the case in the Balkans, that was the case in Iraq, and that is the case in Afghanistan. The jury is still out.
Through the twentieth century, many small wars were waged within countries. In Russia and in China, war took the name of “armed liberation struggle” in order to liberate the country from the yoke of capitalism and usher in the so-called rule of the proletariat. The main driver was ideology. Stripped of the rhetoric, it is plain that such conflicts were also driven by the desire to establish the supremacy of a leader or a party. Such ideology-driven internal wars led to the establishment of one-party States such as in China, Vietnam and Cuba.
After the second World War, there was another kind of war. It was called the Cold War. It was fought not with armies or aircraft or ships. It was fought in the shadowy world of espionage and intrigue. Its soldiers were agents and double agents. Its objectives were not very different from the objectives of a regular war. The ultimate goal was military supremacy over other countries of the world. It is said that the Cold War came to an end with the fall of the Berlin wall on November 9, 1989, but that was not the end of all wars. Just as the Cold War came to an end, we witnessed the emergence of another kind of war, namely, jihad. Jihad is a war or struggle against unbelievers and, currently, it is waged by a number of groups owing allegiance to Islam. Unlike the original Crusades, jihad is not fought like a conventional war. Jihad employs terror as an instrument to achieve its objectives. Such terror is directed against all and sundry, its victims are usually innocent people, and its goal is to overawe and overthrow the established authority. The tactics of the jihadis have been copied by militants belonging to other groups too, not excluding militants professing the Hindu faith.
By a quirk of fate, India in the twenty-first century has turned out to be the confluence of every kind of violence: insurrection or insurgency in order to carve out sovereign States; armed liberation struggle motivated by a rejected ideology; and terrorism driven by religious fanaticism. Never before has the Indian State faced such a formidable challenge. Never before have the Indian people been asked to prepare themselves for such fundamental changes in the manner in which the country will be secured and protected.
The Agony of 26/11
Let me summarize the situation as I found it on December 1, 2008. Two days after the terrorist attack in Mumbai was repulsed – after paying a heavy price of 164 lives – the nation was in shock and anger. A billion plus people felt they had been humiliated and the country had been brought to its knees by a small band of terrorists. The security establishment was in disarray and numerous questions were being asked. Had the intelligence agencies failed? Did the first responder, the Mumbai police, prove to be totally inadequate? Was the famed National Security Guard too slow to get off the block? Did the leadership of the police let down its men? Did the security forces take too long to neutralise ten terrorists? Did the Central and the State Governments fail to provide strong leadership? Did the crisis management system collapse? Did the country pay too heavy a price before it repulsed the terrorist attack? Did the Government fail the people in not mounting a swift counter-attack on the perpetrators of terror?
These questions continue to haunt me and many others even today. I think I have found the answers to some of these questions, but I do not intend to fill this lecture with those answers. My purpose is to outline the broad architecture of a new security system that will serve the country today and in the foreseeable future.
The State of our Police
Let me begin with the foot soldiers. All the States and Union Territories put together had a sanctioned strength of 1,746,215 policemen as on January 1, 2008. Against that number, only 1,478,888 policemen were in place. There are 13,057 police stations and 7,535 police posts in the country. The ratio of available police to per 100,000 people for the whole country is about 130. The international average is about 270. There is no substitute for the policeman who walks the streets. He is the gatherer of intelligence, the enforcer of the law, the preventer of the offence, the investigator of the crime and the standard-bearer of the authority of the State, all rolled into one. If he is not there, it means that all these functions are not performed. That – the failure to perform essential police functions – is where the rot began and that is where the rot lies even today. The first step, therefore, in devising a new security system in the country is to recruit more policemen and policewomen. In my estimate, States would have to recruit over 400,000 constables this year and in the next two years in order to fill the vacancies and in order to provide for expansion of the police forces. A bad police constable is worse than no police constable. Recruitment must therefore be transparent, objective and corruption-free. The Central Government has devised and commended to the States a transparent recruitment procedure that will be totally technology-based and free of any human interference. On its part, the Central Government has implemented the new procedure in the recruitment to the Central Para Military Forces.
The police stations in the country are, today, virtually unconnected islands. Thanks to telephones and wireless, and especially thanks to mobile telephones, there is voice connectivity between the police station and senior police officers, but that is about all. There is no system of data storage, data sharing and accessing data. There is no system under which one police station can talk to another directly. There is no record of crimes or criminals that can be accessed by a Station House Officer, except the manual records relating to that police station. Realising the gross deficiency in connectivity, the Central Government is implementing an ambitious scheme called “Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS).” The goals of the system are to facilitate collection, storage, retrieval, analysis, transfer and sharing of data and information at the police station and between the police station and the State Headquarters and the Central Police Organisations.
If intelligence-gathering is the corner stone of fighting insurgency or insurrection or terror, the foot solider cannot work in isolation. He must be enabled to gather intelligence from the people as well as the representatives and quasi-representatives of the State such as the Sarpanch, the Lambardar, the village accountant etc. More often than not, intelligence is provided by the citizen who would wish to remain faceless and nameless. It is therefore important that State Governments adopt “Community Policing” and establish a toll-free service under which a citizen can provide information or lodge a complaint. It is the myriad bits of information flowing from different sources that, when sifted, analysed, matched, correlated and pieced together, become actionable intelligence. That function must be performed, first and foremost, at the police station.
To sum up, we must have more police stations and, at the police station level, we must have more constables, some of whom are exclusively for gathering intelligence. We must also have a system of community policing, a toll-free service, and a network to store, retrieve and access data relating to crimes and criminals.
Moving up the ladder, at the District and State levels, the Special Branch is the key to better intelligence and more intelligence-based operations. There should be at least one police officer in each police station exclusively for intelligence gathering. As the intelligence gathered flows up to the District Special Branch and State Special Branch, there should be an adequate number of well-trained analysts to analyse the intelligence and to draw the correct conclusions. Intelligence is a specialised function. Not every police officer is qualified to be an intelligence officer. It is therefore imperative that the State Special Branch should be restructured as a specialised and self-sufficient cadre of the State police in terms of personnel, funds and equipment. On January 7, 2009, the Central Government had circulated a proposal to restructure the Special Branch in the State police forces. The implementation of the proposal will mark the beginning of a long-haul effort to restructure the intelligence-gathering machinery at the District and State levels.
At the District and State levels, the police must also be the first responder in case of a militant or terrorist attack. 24 x 7 control rooms must be set up at the District and State levels. Quick Response Teams must be positioned in every district capital and in important towns. Commando units must be raised and placed at different locations. The Central Government is supporting and funding the conversion of two companies of selected IR Battalions into commando units. QRT and commando units should have modern weapons and equipment. The age profile of these units must be young and older men must, periodically, make way for younger men. A special Anti-Terrorist Unit should be created at the State level to pre-empt terrorist activities and investigate terrorist crimes. While States have begun to take steps on these matters, the pace is still slow. States must give a full and true picture of the tasks completed by them and their state of readiness to face any threat or attack.
The Difficult Tasks Ahead
From what I have said so far, the changes that are required to be made in the architecture are quite basic and simple. They can be done by providing more funds, tightening the administration and working to a time-bound plan. Of course, it will also require sound leadership at the political and police levels. However, when we move upwards, serious questions concerning constitutional responsibilities and division of powers will arise. Also, difficult questions would have to be posed and answered regarding the current responsibilities of different organisations. Questions concerning jurisdiction and turf would also arise. If our goal is just extracting a little more from the ‘business as usual’ model, then these questions can be brushed aside or provided ‘don’t-rock-the-boat’ answers. I am afraid that would be self-defeating. Sooner than you think, there may be another crisis like the hijack of IC-814 or another catastrophe like the Mumbai terror attacks. Hence, the time to act is now and I would spell the last word with capitals: N-O-W.
I therefore propose a bold, thorough and radical restructuring of the security architecture at the national level.
The present architecture consists of political, administrative, intelligence and enforcement elements. At the political level, there is the Cabinet Committee on Security. The administrative element is the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Prime Minister’s office and the Cabinet Secretariat. The intelligence elements are spread over different ministries: there is the Intelligence Bureau which reports to the Home Minister; there is the Research and Analysis Wing which falls under the Cabinet Secretariat and, hence, reports to the Prime Minister; there are organisations such as Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) and Aviation Research Centre (ARC) which report to the National Security Adviser; and there is the National Security Council Secretariat under the NSA which serves the National Security Council. The armed forces have their own intelligence agencies, one each under the Army, Navy and Air Force and an umbrella body called the Defence Intelligence Agency. There are other agencies which specialise in financial intelligence. These are the Directorates in the Income Tax, Customs and Central Excise departments, the Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Enforcement Directorate. The enforcement element of this architecture consists of the central para-military forces such as CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, Assam Rifles, SSB and the NSG. What will strike any observer is that there is no single authority to which these organisations report and there is no single or unified command which can issue directions to these agencies and bodies.
Some changes have indeed been brought about after December 1, 2008. The most beneficial change has been the operationalisation of the Multi-Agency Centre. By an Executive Order issued on December 31, 2008, the MAC was energised with a broader and compulsory membership and a new mandate. Every piece of relevant information or intelligence gathered by one of the participating agencies is brought to the table. It is analysed and the analysis is shared with the participating agencies. The key benefit is that no one can say that his/her organisation was kept in the dark. Another beneficial change has been the extension of the reach of MAC to the State capitals and the setting up of the Subsidiary-MAC in each State capital in which all agencies operating at the State level, especially the Special Branch of the State police, are represented. Through the MAC-SMAC-State Special Branch network, the Intelligence Bureau has been able to pull more information and intelligence from the State capitals. It has also been able to push more information and intelligence into the State security system.
Another innovation is the security meeting held every day, around noon, under the Chairmanship of the Home Minister. NSA, Home Secretary, Secretary (R&AW), DIB, Chairman, JIC, and Special Secretary (IS) attend the meeting. The broad directions issued at the end of the meeting have brought about better coordination in all aspects of intelligence including gathering, analysing and acting upon the intelligence.
We should resist the temptation to exaggerate the gains that have been made through these changes at the top. The Home Minister – and by extension the Government – is indeed better informed. The agencies involved are more alert. However, in my view, it does not mean that our capacity to pre-empt or prevent a terrorist threat or attack has been enhanced significantly. As far as responding to a terrorist attack is concerned, we may have enhanced the capacity to contain and repulse an attack, but I think that there is still some distance to go before we can claim to have acquired the capacity to respond swiftly and decisively to a terror attack. It is this assessment which leads me to argue that the security architecture at the top must be thoroughly and radically restructured.
The New Architecture
Some steps in this direction are self-evident. For example, there is a need to network all the databases that contain vital information and intelligence. Today, each database stands alone. It does not talk to another database. Nor can the ‘owner’ of one database access another database. As a result, crucial information that rests in one database is not available to another agency. In order to remedy the deficiency, the Central Government has decided to set up NATGRID. Under NATGRID, 21 sets of databases will be networked to achieve quick, seamless and secure access to desired information for intelligence/enforcement agencies. This project is likely to be completed in 18 – 24 months from now.
Two more projects will commence early next year. The first is the Business Process Re-engineering of the Foreigners Division at a cost of about Rs.20 crore. The second is the more ambitious Mission Mode Project on Immigration, Visa and Foreigners’ Registration and Tracking with the objective of creating a secure and integrated service delivery framework for facilitating legitimate travellers and strengthening security. The scheme will network 169 missions, 77 ICPs, 5 FRROs and over 600 FROs with the Central Foreigners’ Bureau. It is estimated to cost Rs.1011 crore, but the rub is it is slated to be implemented over a period of four and a half years. The gaps in the visa system have been exposed in a number of cases, the most notable among them being the case of David Coleman Headley. The compelling need to create a fool-proof system cannot be overstated. Hence, it is necessary to put the project on a fast track, engage a Mission Director, beg or borrow the money to implement the project, and complete the task within 24 months.
It is our experience that the networks of terror overlap with the networks of drug-peddling, arms-trading and human-trafficking. The agencies that deal with the latter category of crimes are scattered. For example, the Narcotics Control Bureau is under the Ministry of Home Affairs while the Central Bureau of Narcotics is under the Ministry of Finance. The Arms Act is administered by MHA. As far as human-trafficking is concerned, the primary responsibility lies with the State Governments, but anti-human trafficking cells have been set up only in 9 districts of the country. Regulation and enforcement in each of these areas require to be strengthened and brought under the overall management of internal security.
The Way Forward – NCTC
Another major idea is the proposal to set up the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC). As the name suggests, the goal is to counter terrorism. Obviously, this will include preventing a terrorist attack, containing a terrorist attack should one take place, and responding to a terrorist attack by inflicting pain upon the perpetrators. Such an organisation does not exist today. It has to be created from scratch. I am told that the United States was able to do it within 36 months of September 11, 2001. India cannot afford to wait for 36 months. India must decide now to go forward and India must succeed in setting up the NCTC by the end of 2010.
Once NCTC is set up, it must have the broad mandate to deal with all kinds of terrorist violence directed against the country and the people. While the nature of the response to different kinds of terror would indeed be different and nuanced, NCTC’s mandate should be to respond to violence unleashed by any group – be it an insurgent group in the North East or the CPI (Maoist) in the heartland of India or any group of religious fanatics anywhere in India acting on their own or in concert with terrorists outside India. NCTC would therefore have to perform functions relating to intelligence, investigation and operations. All intelligence agencies would therefore have to be represented in the NCTC. Consequently, in my proposal, MAC would be subsumed in the NCTC. Actually, MAC with expanded authority will be at the core of the new organisation and will transform itself into NCTC. The functions that will be added to the current functions of MAC are investigation and operations. As far as investigation is concerned, Government has set up the National Investigation Agency, and that agency would have to be brought under the overall control of NCTC. The last function – operations – would of course be the most sensitive and difficult part to create and bring under the NCTC. But I am clear in my mind that, without ‘operations’, NCTC and the security architecture that is needed will be incomplete. It is the proposed ‘operations’ wing of the NCTC that will give an edge – now absent – to our plans to counter terrorism.
The establishment of the NCTC will indeed result in transferring some oversight responsibilities over existing agencies or bodies to the NCTC. It is my fervent plea that this should not result in turf wars. Some agencies would naturally have to be brought under NCTC and what come to my mind readily are NIA, NTRO, JIC, NCRB and the NSG. The positioning of R&AW, ARC and CBI would have to be re-examined and a way would have to be found to place them under the oversight of NCTC to the extent that they deal with terrorism. The intelligence agencies of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Finance would, of course, continue to remain under the respective Ministry, but their representatives would have to be deputed mandatorily to the NCTC. NATGRID would obviously come under NCTC. So also, CCTNS would have to be supervised by the NCTC.
Given the overarching responsibility of NCTC and its mandate, it will be obvious that it must be headed by a highly qualified professional with vast experience in security related matters. Considering the structure of our services, it is natural to expect that the head of one of our organisations will be appointed to the post, by whatever name it may be called. He/she could be a police officer or a military officer. He/she must be one who has impeccable professional credentials and the capacity to oversee intelligence, investigation and operations. He/she will be the single person accountable to the country on all matters relating to internal security. At the Government level, and in order to be accountable to Parliament, it would be logical and natural to place the NCTC under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
That leaves the question of the structure of the Ministry of Home Affairs itself. MHA now handles a wide portfolio of subjects ranging from ‘freedom fighters’ to ‘forensic science’. Is this a functional arrangement to deal with the grave challenges to internal security that we face and that we will face from many more years? I am afraid not. It is true that the words ‘Ministry of Home Affairs’ have an authoritative ring, but the MHA now performs a number of functions that have no direct relation to internal security. For example, it has a division dealing with freedom fighters but it does not have even a desk for dealing exclusively with forensic science. There are other divisions or desks that deal with Centre-State Relations, State Legislation, Human Rights, Union Territories, Disaster Management, Census etc. These are undoubtedly important functions and deserve close attention. However, internal security is an equally, if not more, important function that deserves the highest attention. In my view, given the imperatives and the challenges of the times, a division of the current functions of the Ministry of Home Affairs is unavoidable. Subjects not directly related to internal security should be dealt with by a separate Ministry or should be brought under a separate Department in the MHA and dealt with by a Minister, more or less independently, without referring every issue to the Home Minister. The Home Minister should devote the whole of his/her time and energy to matters relating to security.
It is after one year in office that I have ventured to outline the new architecture for India’s security. There are two enemies of change. The first is ‘routine’. Routine is the enemy of innovation. Because we are immersed in routine tasks, we neglect the need for change and innovation. The second enemy is ‘complacency’. In a few days from today, 2009 will come to a close, and I sincerely hope that we may be able to claim that the year was free from terror attacks. However, there is the danger of a terror-free year inducing complacency, signs of which can be seen everywhere. A strange passivity seems to have descended upon the people: they are content to leave matters relating to security to a few people in the Government and not ask questions or make demands. I wish to raise my voice of caution and appeal to all of you assembled here, and to the people at large, that there is no time to be lost in making a thorough and radical departure from the present structure. If, as a nation, we must defend ourselves in the present day and prepare for the future, it is imperative that we put in place a new architecture for India’s security.
Mani, who was imprisoned in the Coimbatore jail in a robbery case, met Mr. Maudany in prison where the latter was lodged in connection with the Coimbatore blast case.
He later converted to Islam. Mani, originally hailing from Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, had settled down at Ayippuzha, near Irikkur, after marrying a local girl, Haseena. He was reported missing since March.
Ms. Haseena had also disclosed to the police that Thadiyantavide Nazir had conducted classes in her house and that she and Mani had stayed at Mr. Maudany’s house for a few days.
The year 2009 witnessed several new measures taken by the Government to strengthen the security apparatus of the country to equip it to meet the grave challenge posed by global terrorism. These include operationalization of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), establishment of four NSG Hubs to ensure quick and effective response to any possible terror attack, augmentation of the strength of Intelligence Bureau (IB), strengthening of the Multi-Agency Centre in the IB to enable it to function on 24X7 basis and strengthening of coastal security. The measures especially aimed at improving the overall internal security situation after the ghastly terrorist attack in Mumbai in November last year.
The overall internal security and law & order situation in the country remained largely under control during 2009. No major incident of terrorist violence was reported from the hinterland. The communal situation remained under control. The year also witnessed significant improvement in the security situation in Jammu & Kashmir and some progress in the North East, but the Naxal violence continued to be a cause of concern. The Centre took some major initiatives to deal with the menace of Naxalism and, after wide-ranging consultations with the Naxal-affected States, approved a joint action plan to kick off coordinated and combined action, especially at the bi-junctions and tri-junctions of the affected States.
In 2009, steps were taken to significantly expand Central Para-military Forces (CPMFs). The report of the Liberhan Commission along with the Action Taken Report was presented in Parliament.
Some of the key initiatives and achievements of the Ministry of Home Affairs during 2009 are listed below:
NIA Operationalized
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), set up as per the NIA Act enacted in the previous year, started functioning in 2009 with cases assigned to it for investigation and prosecution. Headquartered in Delhi and notified as a police station, NIA is mandated to investigate and prosecute offences under the Acts mentioned in the Schedule, including offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, that have inter-state and international linkages and assigned to it by the Government. The agency would function under the superintendence of the Central Government.
Four NSG Hubs Established
To ensure quick and effective response to any possible terror attack, the Government has established four National Security Guards (NSG) hubs at Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. Each NSG hub is equipped with the operational strength of around 250 personnel. Additionally, two regional centres of NSG are also being set up at Hyderabad and Kolkata to enable instant response to any situation arising out of possible acts of violence by terrorists.
Designated officers of the Central Government and the Director General of NSG have been empowered to requisition aircraft from registered operators in the interest of public safety. Voluntary agreements have been signed by eight private airlines operators to provide aircraft to NSG during emergency.
Intelligence Gathering Mechanism Strengthened
In order to strengthen the intelligence gathering and sharing machinery, strength of IB has been substantially augmented. The functioning of the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) in the Intelligence Bureau has also been strengthened and revamped. The Multi-Agency Centre, now functioning on 24X7 basis, has been advised to share intelligence with all other agencies including those from the States and similarly, all other agencies have been asked to share intelligence with the MAC.
During the year, action was initiated to establish an online, dedicated and fully secure connectivity between all the designated members of the MAC, between MAC and the Subsidiary Multi-Agency Centres (SMACs) in 30 important identified locations spread across the country and between the SMACs and the State Special Branches to make sure that the flow of vital information is maintained at the optimum level at every stage. A scheme for providing technical and financial support by the Intelligence Bureau to the States for strengthening State Special Branches has been approved to help implement this plan in an efficient manner.
As a result of coordination between the Central intelligence agencies and the State Police, a large number of terrorist modules of Pak-based terrorist outfits were busted in various parts of the country.
Coastal Security Strengthened
Following the 26/11 incidents, coastal security of the country has been reviewed comprehensively at various levels. Under the ongoing Coastal Security Scheme, 64 out of the 73 coastal police stations have been operationalised. 56 interceptor boats have been supplied to the coastal States and Union Territories during the year so far.
Coast Guard, in consultation with the maritime States, has been carrying out vulnerability and gap analysis to assess additional requirements in respect of police stations, check-posts, outposts, vehicles, boats etc. Based on this assessment, a comprehensive proposal, to be named as Phase-II of the Coastal Security Scheme, has been processed and is in the final stages of consultations.
Various other measures to strengthen coastal security are under consideration or implementation which include establishment of vessel tracking and monitoring systems, issue of identity cards to fishermen and intensified patrolling on the seas.
Measures Taken for Police Reforms, Augmentation and Training
In 2009, the Government approved a proposal for the raising of 38 additional Battalions including two Mahila Battalions in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Out of these 38 Battalions, three Bns including one Mahila Bn are to be raised during the current fiscal year. Similarly, 29 new battalions, to be raised over a period of five years starting from this fiscal year, were approved in early 2009 for the Border Security Force (BSF). In addition, the ceiling with regard to the strength of CISF has been enhanced to 1,45,000 from 93,521. Eleven IR Battalions including 2 commando companies in each battalion were sanctioned to the State Governments of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya and Orissa and UT of Chandigarh.
Three ALH Dhruv helicopters have been inducted into BSF. These are based at Ranchi and Raipur.
A revised recruitment scheme for recruitment of Constables in CPMFs was approved.
CISF security was extended to the private sector after due amendment in the CISF Act in January this year.
For the first time, risk/hardship allowances were approved in April’09 for personnel of the CPMFs deployed in high risk and difficult areas such as high altitude areas, Left Wing Extremism affected areas, areas with uncongenial climate and other such areas.
A CPMF Housing Project for construction of about 1,00,000 housing units on Public-Private-Partnership basis has been approved. Consultants have been appointed for preparation of the Project Feasibility Report.
A large number of companies of the CPMFs were mobilized for the conduct of general elections to the Lok Sabha, for assembly elections and for bye-elections.
As per the directives of the Supreme Court (Prakash Singh & Others vs Union Of India; 22nd September, 2006) on police reforms, MHA decided to (i) set up a State Security Commission for all UTs which would lay down broad policies and evaluate performance of the police in each UT (ii) set up two Police Establishment Boards (PEB) in each UT, one for the the ranks of Inspectors and above and the other for Sub-Inspectors and below. The PEBs would decide all transfers, postings, promotions and other service-related matters (iii) set up a Police Complaints Authority in each UT (iv) accord two-year tenures in UTs to key police functionaries, except under exceptional circumstances/administrative exigencies which would be recorded in writing and (v) separate police personnel into law & order and investigative wings in UTs.
A copy of the draft Model Police Act was sent to the States for consideration and appropriate action. The Model Police Act provides for well-defined duties of the Police towards the public and accountability to the rule of law. A number of States have either framed New Police Acts or amended the existing Acts.
Under the National Police Mission, six Micro-Missions namely Human Resource Development, Community Policing, Communication and Technology, Infrastructure, New Processes and Proactive Policing & Visualizing future Challenges have been set up. The projects on Community Counselling Centres and Transparent Recruitment Process, submitted by the Micro-Missions have been approved for implementation.
Allocation of land and construction activities began during the year for setting up of 20 Counter-Insurgency and Anti-Terrorist Schools in the States of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa to provide training to police personnel in counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism tactics.
It has been decided to establish a Central Academy for Police Training at Bhopal as a centre of excellence for training of State police officers. 400 acres of land has been allotted by the Madhya Pradesh Government for the purpose.
During 2009, 22 new Police Stations and 9 Sub-Divisions of Delhi Police were notified and sanction for creation of 6478 posts for these new Police Stations and Sub-Divisions issued.
Approval was accorded to a Plan Scheme relating to Modernisation of Traffic and Communications Network of the Delhi Police at a cost of Rs.200 crore for implementation in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan.
To minimize the shortage of IPS officers at SP level, a decision has been taken to increase the batch-size of the Indian Police Service from 130 to 150 from the Civil Services Examination, 2009 onwards.
The Bureau of Police Research & Development has been strengthened and restructured by the sanctioning of 72 additional posts.
Situation in J&K Improves
The security situation in J&K has vastly improved in the last few years and this trend continued during the current year also. In the current year (till November), the number of incidents was down by 27% and those of killing of civilians by 17% and of security force personnel by 19% over the corresponding period of previous year. During the current year, 473 infiltration bids were attempted out of which 367 were foiled.
Out of the 67 projects/ schemes under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan for J&K, action in respect of 30 projects/schemes has been completed and the remaining 37 projects/schemes are at various stages of implementation.
Steps Taken to Fight Naxal Menace
Naxal violence poses one of the gravest internal security threats before the country. In the current year (till 30th November), the number of incidents of Naxal violence have been 2016 compared to 1452 incidents in the corresponding period of 2008. 514 civilians and 304 personnel of security forces have been killed compared to 444 civilians and 217 security forces killed in the corresponding period last year.
To deal with the menace in an effective and decisive manner, the Union Home Ministry has devised and approved a plan to take joint and co-ordinated action against Naxalites. The action plan was prepared after wide-ranging consultations with the States including two conferences attended by the Chief Ministers of the Naxal-affected States.
58 Battalions of CRPF have been provided to the States for anti-Naxal duties.
In June this year, CPI (Maoist) was included in the Schedule of terrorist organisations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh; Deogarh, Jaipur, Kondhamal, Dhenkanal and Nayagarh districts of Orissa and Kunti and Ramgarh districts of Jharkhand brought under the ambit of Security Related Expenditure Scheme.
In August this year, revised guidelines and package for surrender and rehabilitation of Naxalites were issued. The Central Scheme for Assistance to Victims/Family of Victims of Terrorist and Communal Violence was extended to victims of Naxal violence.
Assistance of CPMFs was provided to West Bengal to help restore the State writ in Lalgarh.
Situation in North-East Improves
There has been significant improvement in the security situation in the North Eastern States. The number of causalities of civilians and security forces personnel has decreased. The number of militants killed/surrendered/arrested in the current year (up to 30th November, 2009) is 3580. However, the security situation in Manipur and Assam continues to cause concern.
Owing to counter-insurgency operations, ULFA in Assam has come under tremendous pressure. Key ULFA leaders are in prison. Due to sustained pressure by security forces and also due to the Union Home Minister’s call to the extremist groups in the North East to lay down arms, abjure violence and come forward for talks, 416 cadres of DHD(J) have laid down their arms.
Measures Taken for Disaster Management
The National Policy on Disaster Management has been prepared in tune with the Disaster Management Act, 2005 with a vision to build a safe and disaster-resilient India by developing a holistic, proactive and technology-driven strategy through a culture of prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response.
A Scheme for strengthening fire and emergency services to be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs.200 crore during the Eleventh Plan Period has been approved.
A Scheme to revamp civil defence has been approved with an outlay of Rs.100 crore to be implemented during XI Five Year Plan.
Steps Initiated in Other Areas
A programme of modernization, computerization and networking of 33 Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) which regulate more than 98.5% of the passenger traffic, has been completed.
Construction of 11 strategic roads along the Indo-China border has started.
During the year, 270 kms of fencing and 253 kms of border roads have been constructed along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
The work of direct data collection of all usual residents for creation of the National Population Register in the coastal villages of 9 maritime States and 4 UTs ,viz., Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Orissa, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands is under progress. The biographical details of around 50 lakh persons and biometric details of about 10 lakh have been collected so far. The Government has approved a proposal to issue identity (smart) cards to all ‘usual residents’ of age 18 years and above in these areas.
A proposal for establishing a Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System(CCTNS) was approved for networking of all crime-related data amongst all police stations, States and the Centre. Rs.89 crore has been allocated to the States and UTs for the purpose. The Centre-State MoU for the CCTNS project has been signed by all the 35 States/UTs.
Approval of the Cabinet was obtained for extension of the rehabilitation package to the victims of the anti-Sikh riots in 1984 to West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Chandigarh.
Notifications for delegation of powers to the Govt. of NCT of Delhi under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 was issued.
Two rounds of tripartite talks on Gorkhaland were held during the year.
A Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security was held on January 6, 2009 and on 17th August, 2009
A high level Indian delegation led by the Union Home Minister visited USA in September 2009 and held discussions on issues of mutual interest including the challenge of combating terrorism.
With a view to improving punctuality among officers and staff, a biometric-based attendance monitoring system has been introduced in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Assam Rifles gunned down nine suspected militants in three encounters in Thoubal and Chandel districts of Manipur since last night following stepped-up counter-insurgency operations.
“These incidents are not coincidental. We have been intensifying our operations and stepping up vigil. We knew that they (the militants) were coming to these areas and intercepted them, leading to the encounters. No one was wounded on our side,” a senior Assam Rifles officer said.
On November 23, militants of the United National Liberation Front had gunned down five soldiers, including two officers, in an ambush at Old Somtal.
Dhaka model for Myanmar ---- Dispur wants Delhi to prod neighbour
Ulfa is said to be using the camps of the NSCN’s Khaplang group in Sagaing division of Myanmar for transit and logistical support. The Chinese army is suspected to have helped Ulfa set up camps in Kachin, the sources added.
What has surprised the BSF is that the militants managed to sneak into the Meghalaya villages from Bangladesh a few days ago despite the presence of a patrolling party along the international border. To make matters worse, the border force could not prevent the militants from escaping to Bangladesh. A BSF official said there were limitations on the part of the force, as the local people do not co-operate with them whenever they notice the movement of the militants.
SATP:
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram asks ULFA and UNLF for giving up violence and holding talks
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, turning down the demand for sovereignty, asked the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in Assam and United National Liberation Front (UNLF) in Manipur to give up violence and hold talks, reports Nagaland Page. He said that the Union Government was willing to look at 'new governing structures' to take care of the development agenda of the Northeast. "A couple of groups like the ULFA and the UNLF are still carrying out violent activities. To them we say, give up the demand for sovereignty. Give up violence and we can talk of anything," the Union Minister said at the valedictory session of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) leadership summit in Kolkata on December 22. Stating that the Constitution was resilient and innovative, and accommodated the concerns of the people of smaller states, he said, "If new innovations for governing structures are required, we are willing to look at it. The Constitution has provided for hill development councils, semi-autonomy, and some schedules to address the concerns of the people of the smaller states. We can have more schedules as long as it takes care of the development agenda."
Nine more border outposts to be set up in Tripura
The Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) Raman Srivastava announced that nine more border outposts (BOPs) would be set up besides relocating 17 BOPs along the 856-km-long India-Bangladesh border in Tripura to prevent Northeast insurgents from entering Indian territory from Bangladesh, reports Shillong Times. According to him, the BSF is looking for new land near the Zero Line of the international border for setting up 26 BOPs for more stringent vigil along the India-Bangladesh border so that insurgents using the soil of the neighbouring country cannot infiltrate into Indian territory. At present, there are 245 BOPs along the Tripura border. Over 370 militants from two main insurgent groups - All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT)- surrendered in 2009. According to Deputy Inspector General (Police Control) Nepal Das, interrogation of surrendered militants revealed that an "acute food crisis" was grappling militant camps and the insurgents "were not being paid money" that ultimately forced them to lay down arms.
Meanwhile, the Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar cited augmentation and modernisation of Security Forces, their deployment in strategic positions and barbed wire fencing along the long porous India-Bangladesh border as major factors for the success in the fight against insurgency. He also lauded the role of the Government in Bangladesh, which encircles the hilly State on three sides, in pushing out militants seeking refuge in its land that led to the arrest of several militants including top United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) leaders Chitraban Hazarika and Sashadhar Chowdhury.
Speaking about Soren’s “industry unfriendly” tag, state chief of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Rahul Singh, however, said there was always a possibility that the perception would change later. “Industry needs a stable government irrespective of party or alliance. It ultimately depends on the way the leadership wants to develop industry in the region,” Singh told The Telegraph. Not a single political party made industrialisation a poll issue despite agitation by villagers at different sites where mega industries were proposed and which would have raked in as much as Rs 2,75,000 crore for the state.
A section of Congress leaders is also opposed to JMM’s leadership because of its approach towards the Naxalites. They feel it would be extremely difficult for the Centre to pursue its anti-Maoist policy in Jhakhand under Soren’s leadership, especially when he gave tickets to many former rebels. A perception also exists that the JMM won more seats than expected because of Naxalite support. In contrast, Marandi is on the same page with home minister P. Chidambaram on the Maoist menace.
In case the Congress fails to make Marandi chief minister, the party may pressure Soren to name somebody else as chief minister, knowing that he cannot back anybody in his party other than his son who lacks administrative experience. The Congress will then try to persuade Soren to let his son go through a period of apprenticeship, a leader said.
SATP:
Former Maoist wins in Jharkhand polls
IANS reports that only one of the six former Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres who contested the five-phased Jharkhand Assembly polls from November 25 to December 18 managed to pull off a victory. Polush Surin, a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) nominee from Torpa, won the election by defeating Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Koche Munda by over 16,000 votes. Surin, currently in jail, was a cadre of the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI), a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist.
The five others - Ugal Pal, Satish Kumar, Masi Charan Munda, Kuldeep Ganjhu and Ranjan Yadav - all lost their respective electoral battles. While Kumar and Munda were formerly associated with the PLFI, the remaining three were members of the CPI-Maoist. All except Kumar are in jail. Pal was defeated by Congress nominee Chandrashekhar Dubey. Kumar lost to Krishnanand Tripathy of Congress and Munda was defeated by BJP nominee Nilkanth Singh Munda. Ganju, an All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) nominee, was defeated by Jai Prakash Singh Bhokta of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P).Rashtriya Janata Dal nominee Yadav was defeated by independent nominee Videsh Singh. Except Charan all were on fourth or fifth positions in their respective constituencies. Charan lost by just 600 votes.
West Bengal Government approves to set up a special directorate to oversee security and implement measures against terror
The West Bengal Cabinet approved a decision to set up a special directorate to oversee security and implement measures against terror on December 23, reports The Hindu. The directorate, which would work under the Home Department, will be headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police. It would engage more than 480 Police Personnel. It would also oversee security arrangements for VIPs and VVIPs. It was also decided to increase the strength of Police Personnel and improve the infrastructure in the Police Stations affected by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) activities in the three south-western Districts, Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said. It was decided that 3,224 new posts would be created in various Departments, including Home and Health. Another 150 posts lying vacant would be filled up, Dasgupta said. Nearly 1,200 personnel would be added to the existing forces in 21 Police Stations in the Districts of West Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia. They would be provided with more vehicles.
3) J&K: SATP
India
433 infiltration attempts into Jammu and Kashmir in 2009
PTI on December 23 reports that cross border infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir is on the rise with militants making 433 such attempts in 2009, nearly 90 more than in 2008. As many as 106 militants infiltrated during these bids in 2009. "A total of 433 infiltration attempts were made by the militants along the Line of Control and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir in 2009," a senior Police officer said. Admitting that there has been a surge in infiltration, the Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir, Kuldeep Khoda, told PTI that measures have been taken by Security Forces to foil these bids and said it is a matter area of concern at a time when violence has gone down in the State.
December 2009 marks 20 years of the insurgency in Kashmir. During this period, Kashmir has metamorphosed -- in terms of its politics, discourse, the nature of the militancy, the level of external intervention and perceptions of the potential solutions. Yet, much of India’s understanding of Kashmir remains ensnared in the limited confines of history, and thus India fails to understand the changes, declines to advance from age-old positions, and refuses to look for fresh ways to address the conflict.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to scale down its agitation programme, already relaxed for three days for Christmas, indicating that it was ready to repose its faith in dialogues that are currently in progress. Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: “The hunger strike from December 26 will be a relay fast with the minority forum starting it the first day. Each batch will be on fast for 24 hours.”
“To facilitate bona fide tourists, it has since been decided that foreigners holding tourist visas who, after initial entry into India plan to visit another country and re-enter India before finally exiting, may be permitted two or three entries by Indian missions,” a spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs said this evening. However, permission to re-enter will be granted on the submission of a detailed itinerary and supporting documents such as ticket bookings, the official said.
The tourism industry, he said, has begun to show signs of recovery after the twin blows of last year’s Mumbai attack and the economic crisis. We were hoping the scenario will bounce back in the current season. But with this new visa regulations, the things look bleak, if not terrible,” the official said. He added that it was ironic the clampdown had come at a time the government introduced a visa-on-arrival scheme for tourists from Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Luxembourg and Finland.
GUWAHATI, Dec 24: In the ongoing offensive against the NDFB, two encounters took place between security forces and militants of the outfit in different areas of the State since last night. In an encounter with the Army at Gossaigaon of Baksa district last night, an NDFB militant belonging to the outfit’s Ranjan Daimary faction was killed, while two others managed to escape. A grenade and a pistol was recovered from the slain militant’s possession. But the incident which has raised questions on the basic human rights being offered to militants is the encounter which took place between security forces and a three-member NDFB team at Missamari under Paboi Police Station of Sonitpur district today. In the fierce encounter, one militant was killed and two others seriously injured.
However, there are allegations that the security forces took a long time in providing treatment to the injured militants. The injured militants were finally brought to a hospital located around 18 km away from the site of the incident, and the delay in treatment resulted in the death of one militant –– Pradip Daimary –– while the other militant is also said to be in a serious condition.
Addressing the valedictory session of a national conference on leadership in Kolkata on Tuesday, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram ruled out any dialogue on sovereignty outside of the ambit of the Constitution as demanded by different militant outfits of the Northeast, but said that the ‘‘stated position of earlier governments’’ had changed and the UPA-II was prepared to reach out to the tribal groups of the region ‘‘differently’’ because the region had had a ‘‘different’’ history. ‘‘This is the most unambiguous message (no talks on sovereignty) from us to these groups (Northeast militant outfits). The demand for sovereignty is unacceptable. We are firm on this basic principle. But there is a shift from the stated position of earlier governments. The Indian Constitution is flexible to accommodate their genuine desire for self-governance so that the tribal groups feel they are the masters of their own destiny... We must approach the tribal groups differently. It is possible to accommodate them. The Constitution has provisions for hill development councils, semi-autonomous areas, the Fifth, Sixth and the Seventh Schedules,’’ Chidambaram said. He added that the government ‘‘can create another Schedule as long as the government structure can meet the aspirations of the people. They can be masters of their own destiny even while remaining a part of India’’.
Pity the Darwin award was already given to Rah-ul Butt
this is OT still,
the mining of bauxite to be exported as an ore should be opposed totally whatever the politics be, only when Indian manufacturing industry develops the appetite to consume it enough and in turn delivers products higher in the value chain for export should the mining be allowed.
even today, Vizag steel is shipped to China which reaps the full value by delivering actual products
traditional entrepreneurs invest in lower end of the value chain being risk averse, how is this mindset different from exporting cotton to East India company only to buy machine weaved cloth from them?
In a joint operation, the Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand police arrested D. Manarul Sheikh (48), an alleged kingpin involved in circulation of counterfeit currency notes across the country, in Jharkhand on December 22. According to sources in the Crime Branch CID, a special team investigating many counterfeit currency cases that were reported in the recent past visited Jharkhand and West Bengal, as most of the accused persons hailed from there. Acting on instructions from the Additional Director-General of Police (CBCID) Archana Ramasundaram, the team followed specific clues and arrested Sheikh at his native village in Sahibganj district.
“Sheikh is one of the most important accused and a key player in the circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) across the country. Preliminary investigation reveals that the fake notes came from Bangladesh and Nepal. We made enquiries along the international border and held discussions with the Customs and Border Security Force officials,” Deputy Superintendent of Police N. Mohan, who led the team, said. He said the fake notes looked so original that even bank officials found it difficult to distinguish. The modus operandi of the prime suspect was to send large amounts of FICN through agents to various States where they would exchange them for making small purchases. Keeping a commission for themselves, the accused would deposit the balance money in the account of Sheikh.
One of the cases being investigated by the team is that of a complaint lodged by a tea-shop owner in T. Nagar here on September 12. The complainant, Sudhakar of CIT Nagar, told the Mambalam police that two persons who bought soft drinks at his shop gave a thousand-rupee note which appeared suspicious. Based on his input, police arrested Z. Alkash Sheikh (32) and M. Mohammed Raju Sheikh (30) of Sahibganj district in Jharkhand and three others. Ninety-one FICN of Rs.1,000 denomination were seized from their possession. “Sheikh was produced in a city court and lodged in the Puzhal Central Prison on Friday evening. It was a painstaking investigation for us. A major racket with international links seems to be involved in this case,” Mr. Mohan said.
Thirty-two militants and 42 linkmen of different militant organisations were apprehended during border patrolling and counter-insurgency operations along Assam-Meghalaya frontiers while ten gave themselves up around the time, the statement said. Nine militants belonging to Muslim fundamentalist organisations were also caught on the border and several arms and explosives recovered, the statement said. Fake Indian currency, having the face value of Rs1.07 lakh were seized besides cattle, worth Rs51 crore, being smuggled into Bangladesh, during the time.
Pity the Darwin award was already given to Rah-ul Butt
this is OT still,
the mining of bauxite to be exported as an ore should be opposed totally whatever the politics be, only when Indian manufacturing industry develops the appetite to consume it enough and in turn delivers products higher in the value chain for export should the mining be allowed.
even today, Vizag steel is shipped to China which reaps the full value by delivering actual products
traditional entrepreneurs invest in lower end of the value chain being risk averse, how is this mindset different from exporting cotton to East India company only to buy machine weaved cloth from them?
I said this a long time back. The continuation of the Maoist problem is China's doing because the moment that stops and the Tata's/POSCO's build their plants the Cheenis lose their cheap source of raw material. Expect the Maoist struggle to continue till the Cheenis go bankrupt.
Two paramilitary, central reserve police force troopers and five civilians were wounded in a powerful hand grenade explosion in the north Kashmir's Sopore town after the Friday prayers.
...
This is the second explosion in the town in one week. Last Friday, terrorists had targeted a bunker of the paramilitary force in the town, injuring three CRPF jawans and a civilian.
2) Maoist: There are wheels within wheels in bringing political stability to Jharkhand, so please do indulge me even if this is all shitey politics.
Along with Sudesh Mahto’s AJSU, which is ready to join the government with five MLAs, and the JD(U)’s two, a JMM-BJP government will have the safety net of numbers (43 in the 81-member House) but not fool-proof stability as the principal partners are known to harbour differences over some key issues. For one, the JMM’s aggressive pro-tribal policies may not go down well with the largely non-tribal support base of the BJP. The JMM’s sympathetic views on Maoists could be another source of friction.
Senior JMM leader Haji Hussain Ansari today said Babulal Marandi-led secular JVM(P) was more “dangerous” than the “communal” BJP. Talking exclusively to The Telegraph, Ansari argued that his party often had tied up with BJP in the past. Moreover, senior BJP leader Arjun Munda, who is mediating talks on behalf of his party, earlier belonged to the JMM. “Whereas, JVM(P) chief Babulal Marandi was a hardcore RSS cadre and hence, is not trustworthy,” he added.
Police have launched a special operation in Assam’s north bank districts, particularly Udalguri and Sonitpur, to target the “headhunters” of the NDFB’s anti-talks faction who have been recruiting youths from these areas. “We have specific information about some of the middle-ranking cadres of the outfit being on a recruitment drive and operations are on to neutralise them,” a police official said.
As part of the operations, two militants of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) were killed in the wee hours today and three yesterday, although the main targets managed to slip away, the official said. Today’s encounter took place at Maninajuli Paharpur under Rangapara police station in Sonitpur. Two pistols and ammunition were recovered from the two militants.
...
He claimed that the Ranjan Daimary-led anti-talks faction of the NDFB had received a severe jolt in the last few months with security forces going all out against it. “The success in our operations in the last few months against the NDFB was a big blow for the outfit. It has lost several armed wing cadres who were capable of carrying out major attacks.”
...
The official said most of the fresh recruits from Sonitpur belonged to Bodo families who had migrated from the BTAD and settled in reserve forest areas in the past decade. “It is very difficult to identify these families since they have encroached upon reserve forest lands and have no permanent addresses,” he added. In fact, the blast which killed a colonel on the Missamari-Arunachal Pradesh road in Sonitpur a few months back was triggered from near the house of a Bodo family, who had settled on reserve forest land. The family fled soon after the blast.
A major setback for the NDFB was the killing of Gandhi, a cadre believed to be the right-hand man of Ranjan Daimary, sources said. He was killed in an encounter at Gogamukh in Dhemaji district a couple of months back. Despite the security forces’ claims of success, the NDFB has managed to carry out a few deadly strikes, all in Sonitpur. It massacred 10 persons in Bhimajuli village in October and triggered a blast at Missamari market last month.
Fake notes principally originate from Pakistan, but are smuggled through various routes. The most popular among them are via the UAE, Nepal and Bangladesh. Fake notes from Dubai are transported through air with the help of bonafide passengers or couriers. Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka are also used as transit points. International airports in Bangalore, Chennai, Calicut, Cochin, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi are identified as the main landing points. Porous and weak land borders with Nepal and Bangladesh are utilised by organised gangs to smuggle counterfeits into India. Once smuggled, the fake money is exchanged for original notes on roughly 2:1 ratio.
It has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between fake and real notes mainly due to the use of state of the art technology and security paper that is made available only to state actors. This clearly indicates the involvement of government agencies in the neighbourhood. Pumping fake currencies is one of the sub-conventional warfare strategies pursued by Pakistan against India.
Since most of the currency printing paper and inks are being imported from Europe, the European Union should be asked to keep a tight watch on importers of currency-related printing paper and ink based in Pakistan. New Delhi also should press relentlessly through Interpol for extradition of those criminal elements involved in the fake currency racket based in foreign countries.
*India should offer to train Nepalese and Bangladeshi customs and immigration officials to identify and keep a watch over frequent travellers to Dubai, Dhaka, Colombo and other neighbouring countries.{Hope India itself is doing this before advising other neighbours. The Headley case showed up lacunae in our border control systems.}
He was a close aide of Nazeer and helped Nazeer and the other accused to flee on motorbikes after setting the bus on fire," sources said, adding that Nazar and Nazeer were very close.
The SIT also seized a motorcycle, said to have been used by the accused to escape from the scene.
Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and deputy commander-in-chief Raju Barua were today sent to judicial custody after 21 days in police custody. The remand order was passed by chief judicial magistrate Robin Phukan, who heard the case at a camp court inside the Central Jail here. The police did not seek custody of the two Ulfa leaders today. Raja Bora, another Ulfa militant who was produced in the camp court along with the two leaders, was sent to Dibrugarh where he will be produced before the CJM court in connection with a case (2/05) registered at Joypure police station. This will be the first time that the two Ulfa leaders will be separated from their family members after being arrested from the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya on December 5.
The family of the two leaders and the wife of Ulfa foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury are under the custody of Assam police. However, no cases have been registered against them. Rajkhowa had told his brother Ajoy Rajkonwar at the camp court in the Central Jail on December 18 that the police were allowing him to stay with his family. Tight security arrangements were made in front of the Central Jail today with senior police officials present at the entrance to stop any untoward incident. A person by the name of Champak Deka distributed leaflets appealing for talks between Ulfa and the government in front of the jail. However, the police said there was no question of taking action against Deka as there was nothing derogatory in the leaflets and he did not have any link with any organisation.
With Rajkhowa and Barua being sent to judicial custody, the Central Jail here turned into a “hub” of Ulfa leadership as five leaders of the outfit’s central committee are already lodged there. The five are foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury, finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika, vice-president Pradip Gogoi, publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary and cultural secretary Pranati Deka. Another leader of the central committee, political adviser Bhimkanta Buragohain, is lodged at the Tezpur jail. Sources said Buragohain would soon be shifted to the Central Jail to make way for the Ulfa leadership to hold discussions to carry forward the talks process.
This is the third attack on migrants since December 15 and the fifth since October 31 in Manipur valley. With the latest killing, the number of non-Manipuris killed since February has risen to 29. The attack was carried out despite stepped up vigil, particularly in Imphal East and Imphal West districts.
AGARTALA, Dec 26 – Eight insurgents of outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), including one woman, have been nabbed by Assam Rifles from Hamshapara, a remote tribal hamlet in North Tripura district, official sources said. Sources said, a ‘special operation’ team of the Assam Rifles, during a search operation at Hamshapara in Kanchanpur sub-division yesterday nabbed eight insurgents including one woman and recovered one pistol, one revolver, one carbine and many live cartridges from their possession.
2) Some high drama seen in the govt formation in Jharkhand. Seems like the governor K. Sankaranarayan is trying to play some games as the pre-poll alliance of INC and JVM (P) has the highest numbers, but the post-poll alliance of BJP, JMM, JD(U) and AJSU has 45/81 seats in the new assembly. Shibu Soren will be the CM, and two Dy. CMs may be in the offing, one from BJP and one from AJSU. Sudeep Mahto of AJSU is being lured by the INC and if like the precedent of Syed Sibte Razi, the former governor of Jharkhand, who invited Shibu Soren over a BJP-JD(U) post-poll majority is seen, there will be chaos aplenty. The governor seems to neither have good relations with Shibu Soren or the state BJP. A polarized state in some sense -- tribals vs non-tribal people vs Muslims. Remember why the attn on Jharkhand, it is the center of attn vis-a-vis the Maoist crisis.
PM, Buddhadeb discuss law and order in West Bengal
Agencies, New Delhi, 26 December : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee discussed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the law and order including Maoists violence in the state. Some of the developmental issues also came up for discussion during the 30 minutes meeting Bhattacharjee had with the Prime Minister at 7 RCR in the capital. Bhattacharjee is here to attend CPI(M) Politburo meeting. Party sources said yesterday that the Chief Minister would take up with the Prime Minister the issue of appointment of a new governor in place of Gopalkrishna Gandhi whose term was already over. Bhattacharjee is also likely to meet Home Minister P Chidambaram.
SATP:
Former Maoist ‘commander’ shot dead by CPI-Maoist cadres in Maharashtra
PTI reports that a former Communist party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) 'commander' was shot dead by his old companions at his home in the Gondia District, Police said on December 24. Around 30 to 40 extremists entered the house of Raghunath Fagnu Markam (48) at Daharitola under Salekasa tehsil (revenue division) of Gondia District at 1am (IST) on December 23, took him out and pumped two bullets in his chest, killing the former Maoist on the spot, they said.
Raghunath was associated with the Maosit movement from 1992 to 1999, before his surrender on November 25, 1999, they said. He has served as ‘commander’ of Tanda Dalam between 1992-''96, and was instrumental in attacks on Police party in the year 1993 and 1995 at Darekasa, Banjaritola and Murkudoh, Police added. Raghunath was also the man behind to blown up the BSNL mobile tower in the year 1994 at Darekasa, and was wanted by Chhattisgarh Police also, they said. After his surrender, the former Maoist served a three-year jail term and was living a peaceful life at Daharitola. Raghunath had also contested State assembly elections from Gondwana Gantantra Party from Amgaon seat and got 636 votes.
Special Operation Group trooper killed in Orissa
A trooper of the Special Operation Group (SOG), elite anti-Naxalite (left wing extremism) force, was also killed on December 24 during a combing operation at Pallur in the Koraput District, nearly 500 km from here. As reported earlier, a woman Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre was killed and three Security Force (SF) personnel were injured in an exchange of fire between the two sides at Pallur in the Koraput District in the morning of December 24. Police suspects that at least two more Maoists might have been killed in the gun battle. "We recovered the body of the lady Maoist from the scene of the battle. An INSAS rifle was found near here. We believe there might be more casualties among the rebels and search operation is on to find dead bodies," Koraput Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar said.
According to the report, a fierce gun battle between the SFs and the Maoists ensued when a group of around 30 Maoists ambushed a combing party inside forest at Pallur. The Maoists first detonated claymore mines targeting the combing party in which four SOG personnel were injured. Then they fired at them from their hideout provoking return fire from the SFs. While one SOG trooper died on the spot in the landmine explosion, three others sustained bullet injuries.
Meanwhile, a 60-year-old man and a teen-aged boy, suspected to be Maoists, were arrested on December 24 for allegedly launching an attack on the Similipal National Park in March 2009, reports PTI. Police sources said the man, Laxminarayan Isa, who belonged to Kanshpada village of West Bengal''s Burdwan District and the 15-year-old Kanhu Barik, a resident of Badauski village within the national park, were arrested for their alleged role in the attack and suspected links with the Maoists.
Maoists block highway in Chhattisgarh
ANI reports that the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres blocked a National Highway in the Dantewada region on December 24 in protest against the Operation ''Green Hunt'' launched by the Security Forces. The extremists felled down trees and dug up the roads at several places on the NH-221. The road blockade crippled traffic, leaving several trucks and buses stranded. The Maoists also pasted several bills warning the Police.
Maoists warn village heads against Police action
The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres have started threatening gram pradhans (village heads) and chowkidars (guards) with dire consequences if any member of the CPI-Maoist outfit is arrested or if police raid their hideouts, reports Times of India. The Maoists through posters put up at several villages under Shikaripara block (administrative division) of Dumka District, have threatened that village heads and chowkidars would be killed under the above-mentioned circumstances for being Police informers. Maoist posters were seen at various places in the three villages of Haripur, Maluti and Pinargarhia, which are considered to be Maoist strongholds. The CP-Maoist move to declare punitive action against the village heads and chowkidars is being viewed here as its modus operandi to persuade them to convince the common villagers being in regular touch to refrain from being Police informers by holding them directly responsible in case of an arrest or any other move by Police against it.
3) Misc -- should ideally go elsewhere, but nevertheless... My excuse is that any Indian mission abroad is sovereign Indian territory, hence "internal" security watch.
BNP questions special security need to Dhaka's Indian HC
Dhaka, 26 December : Bangladesh's main opposition BNP has expressed concern over the news that a 50- member team of Indian special security force is arriving to provide security to Indian high commissioner in Dhaka. "We think it is unusual and unprecedented," said BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain on Saturday at a press briefing at the central office of his party at Naya Paltan. He demanded an explanation from the foreign ministry and the government on the matter. This kind of act is a threat to the country's independence and sovereignty, he said.
Sandwiched between the heroin producing states of Pakistan and Afghanistan on the west and Myanmar (Burma) on its east, India continues to be a vital link in the drug smuggling pipeline to the West. Federal Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials claim nearly 10 tonnes of heroin and at least twice that amount of Ganja found its way across India's porous borders, past conniving border guards and along well 'oiled' paths to Europe and the United States via air and sea routes. "For every 1 kg seized at least 10 to 15 gets across," said a senior Narcotics Bureau official in New Delhi. He said the Bureau had seized around 1120 kgs of heroin, mostly from its western borders in 1997 and that merely a handful of officials and smugglers had been charged. But he admitted that such was their financial and political clout that few prosecutions were expected.
Security officials, meanwhile, said more recently that insurgent groups fighting for independence in India's north-eastern states and Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels waging war since 1983 for a homeland in the north and east of the island in which over 50,000 people have died, had jointly opened up another, newer front to smuggle drugs to the West and buy weapons from the proceeds.
Meanwhile, 'Number Four' in India's north-eastern states of Manipur, neighbouring Nagaland, Meghalaya and Assam is more than just a numeral, even to school children. It is the colloquial name for heroin, processed to the lethal fourth stage of purification and one that has a debilitating hold over countless numbers of youth in this region bordering Burma from where the narcotic comes. Using makeshift injections - a syringe needle attached to an eyedropper - addicts in this area shoot themselves up with heroin bought in 10mg packets for around 80 rupees ($2) each. Others, unable to rig up even this crude injecting kit, sniff heroin fumes by roasting the narcotic in tinfoil.
The portrait of the Father of Nation in the denominations of rupees 1,000, 500 and 100 has not been successfully forged by masterminds of counterfeit notes till date. And it is helping the scientist in identifying whether a currency note is genuine or fake.
Since most of the currency printing paper and inks are being imported from Europe, the European Union should be asked to keep a tight watch on importers of currency-related printing paper and ink based in Pakistan. New Delhi also should press relentlessly through Interpol for extradition of those criminal elements involved in the fake currency racket based in foreign countries.
Is there no actual clandestine option even being remotely considered to get at the printing presses in Pak and BD? Does GoI actually expect cosmetic measures like dossiers and asking Europeans to stop giving Pak currency paper to bear fruit?
hopefully paper forensics exists that can tell which mill supplied the paper, which batch this belongs to and who imported it, the currency cannot be other than the importers, this can be made explicit with chemical bar coding
currency counting machines need to be able read the number on the note and can be positioned along with the proposed biometrics scan at Port of entry and banks, a numeric bar code can also be added to Rs. 50 or bigger denominations
if private players want to avoid dealing with fake currency, they can install these machines connecting them to data centers. Similar to credit card transactions, the bar code for each currency note is sent to a data center checking for duplicates and validity
to measure the scale, today most of the population who can spend Rs.50 have a cellphone (counting machine) and there are Rs 2 calls for short conversations (transactions), in place of IMEI numbers the transacting parties have to use their National ID numbers
you have got machine id, transaction id (encode time, place and service type), amount, currency bar codes and transactor IDs and significant in all this is the ids are universal hence uniquely traceble and constitute valid evidence in the court of law
Since with the national ID a person can be IDed to the currency amount and exact bills he is using in a transaction this model can be extended to include bribe and hawala money by adding another rule that any transaction above the ATM withdrawal limit must go through a bank
even if both parties hide this transaction, they cannot possibly spend the currency in the system without running into this security gateway somewhere. Corruption can be caught with evidence as employees will have received their salaries from banks, any outside money they spend cannot be accounted for, hawala transactions can be caught as they happen without an underlying service and they will run out of excuses after a few transactions
for all this one should have widespread adoption and superb connectivity and 99% uptime of the system so GOI should subsidize these machines for wider adoption as well as encourage WiMAX networks. if they can do with cell phones they can do with monetary transactions too.
The current physical currency has to be phased out by introducing chemical and numerically bar coded currency, if possible one should also get rid of all coins and make Rs 1 as the minimum
bottom line is fake money, black money, hawala money and bribe money can buy over the cell phone industry many times over, speculating that even if its greater than say 10 times, its a viable enterprise not to mention
the social benefit
After a lull in airplane/airline related internationally relevant terror incidents, the two incidents on Amsterdam-Detroit route are interesting to say the least. Warning has been given, US being victim is on record, now who is going to the real bakra?
We have a state minister in the MEA who is simply on the loose. He does not seem to understand the collective responsibility of the Cabinet. He now says [url=thttp://www.hindu.com/2009/12/28/stories/2009122859441400.htm]the new Indian visa rules will not 'protect' her[/url]
Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor has questioned the tightening of Indian visa rules in the backdrop of the David Headley case and wryly said: “26/11 killers had no visas.” {Then, why have visas at all ?}
Wondering whether the tightening of the visa norms for foreign nationals made sense at all and if it would actually “protect” security, Mr. Tharoor asked whether India would allow terrorists to make it a “less welcoming” destination.
The Minister also said “making it more difficult 2 visit India, return here frequently or stay long hurts large nbrs of innocents, costs us millions of $ [dollars] & alienates.”
“No easy answers 2 such qsns [to such questions] government is grappling with. But important to recognise that security not become an excuse 2change [to change] our cntry 4d worse [country for the worse],” Mr. Tharoor said.
“Thx [Thanx] for gr8 [great] feedback on visas. Issue is not security vs tourism, but whether visa restrictions protect our security,” he said while replying to a tweet.
No individual, including Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, is bigger than the organisation and any decision on talks taken by the leadership, be it in “jail or jungle”, will be binding on the others, according to Arabinda Rajkhowa’s wife Kaveri Kachari. The Ulfa chairman’s wife was accorded a warm welcome on her arrival at Rajkhowa’s village at Ujani Konwar. Kaveri had gone to her parental home last evening before leaving for her in-laws’ place.
While interacting with a group of reporters, Kaveri said: “No individual whether it is Paresh Barua or anybody else had stood in the way of the peace process from Ulfa’s side. If any decision on the talks process is to be taken, it will be taken by the executive council of Ulfa; whether the members are in jail or jungle it does not matter.”
Police sources recently revealed that they have information about Ulfa cadres from lower Assam districts setting up a base again inside Bhutanese territory near Barpathar village in Assam’s Chirang district. Two top leaders of Ulfa’s 709 battalion, self-styled second lieutenant Baba Rabha and sergeant major Kushal Das, are manning the camp that has over 100 cadres, most of them new recruits.
I thought Bhutan was cleansed out, seems like folks keep doing a ring-a ring-a roses by regrouping back and forth, evil...
Not all is fine in Monipur,
Manipur’s hour of shame
Nothing can be worse than the indefinite closure of educational institutions. This has gone on in Manipur for nearly four months. The negative impact of such hasty decisions will be felt sooner than later. In Assam, the 1980s saw regression in educational attainments because of protracted agitation. In Meghalaya, too, the 1980s witnessed a spate of communal clashes that led to the closure of educational institutions and examinations being shelved or jettisoned and students being promoted on the strength of their performance in class or the half-yearly examinations. Meghalaya recorded a very high high school dropout rate during those tumultuous years.
The groups, which have imposed this decision, are as capricious and high-handed as the state which they are holding up for condemnation. It is not possible that all the students who are outside their classrooms today subscribe to the idea of boycotting classes. The majority is ambitious and wants to do well in their studies. They are scouting for opportunities to get into the best institutions of this country, away from their troubled state. In fact, there are more students who are serious about their studies than there are non-serious high school dropouts and sophomores just floating around the school and college campus without a vision in life.
Manipur is already in the pits. The situation has reached this sorry state because only a few people under the aegis of the Apunba Lup have actually decided what is right and what is wrong for Manipur. The rational minded and the intelligentsia has remained silent spectators as if they had no stake in the system.
Many have taken the easy way out and simply left the state to take up employment and residence elsewhere. But this does not solve Manipur’s protracted problem. What ails this state is the absence of a social movement that can claim to be absolutely independent of any coercion. All the so-called citizens’ movements have the covert support of non-state actors who pull the strings very insidiously. This is Manipur’s Achilles Heel! If the state is making the wrong moves, the citizens’ groups are also not very upfront about their actions. Obviously, there are strong political manoeuvres behind the present crisis.
Imphal, Dec. 27: The United National Liberation Front (UNLF) of Manipur today rejected a fresh offer for talks by the Union home minister to the Northeast armed groups, reiterating the UNLF’s stand of holding a plebiscite to resolve Manipur’s conflict.
Stating that the Centre was willing to look at “new governing structures” to take care of development agenda of the Northeast, home minister P. Chidambaram said a couple of groups like Ulfa and the UNLF were carrying out violent activities. “To them we say give up the demand of sovereignty and give up violence and we can talk of anything,” the home minister had said.
Security sources said that though the Government of Bangladesh has taken effective steps like picking up of senior ULFA leaders and handing them over to India, a number of ULFA men are still in that country and security sources admitted that it is not correct to expect Bangladesh to act beyond a certain point. Moreover, it is not possible for Bangladesh to detect militants who are not staying in any camp. “We have not been able to arrest all the militants staying in India and it is not correct to expect Bangladesh to pick up all the members of the militant groups staying in that country,” sources pointed out.
The Government of Myanmar is yet to take effective steps to evict the camps of the NE militants including ULFA from that country. Sources said that the Government of Myanmar agreed way back in 2007 to launch coordinated operations against the militants, but that has not yet been done. However, sources admitted that the Government of Myanmar has very little control over the area where the militants including the ULFA have established their camps, while, the deployment of Assam Rifles failed to seal the international border with Myanmar because of the terrain.
The reports that the militants are receiving help from China are also a matter of concern. Sources said that Paresh Baruah is now in China and over the years, he had maintained the links that the ULFA established in that country immediately after the formation of the outfit. Other militant groups of the NE including groups based in Manipur are receiving weapons from China. Though India does not have proof of involvement of Government of China in supplying weapons to the militants, it is hard to believe that such things are going on without the knowledge of any Chinese agency, sources pointed out.
Over 370 militants from two main insurgent groups – All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) – surrendered to authorities this year. According to Deputy Inspector General (Police Control) Nepal Das, interrogation of surrendered ultras revealed that an “acute food crisis” was grappling militant camps and the insurgents “were not being paid money” that ultimately forced them to lay down arms.
However, the year was not completely devoid of insurgency-related incidents. Eight tribals were gunned down by NLFT militants at Pusparampara, a sleepy tribal hamlet in Kanchanpur sub-division of North Tripura district, on November 10. The killing was in retaliation of the surrender of seven militants of the group two days back. Even as insurgency was on the wane, different militant outfits of the region were found using the State as a corridor to enter Bangladesh which became evident with the arrest of seven militants of Manipur-based outlawed People’s United Liberation Front-Azad on July 19. Acting on a tip-off, police arrested it’s self-styled army chief Abdur Rahaman and his wife Shamima along with five others from a bus stand here and during interrogation it was found they had gone to Bangladesh in March this year and crossed over to Tripura to enter Manipur.
Nagaland experiences peaceful Christmas season
Unlike the past many years, the three groups of the Naga underground, i.e., NSCN-IM, NSCN-K and NN/FGN have halted factional fight for sometime now, thanks to the FNR. Numerous meetings among these three erstwhile warring Naga underground groups have been carried out convened by the FNR both in India and abroad. Football matches among these underground groups have also been organised. In the past several years the Nagas both in Manipur and Nagaland used to pass through turbulent time particularly during the Christmas season as infightings among the Naga underground groups used to create panic among the people.
In Manipur too, the rivalries among the Naga underground groups have not been witnessed for quite some months now. Significantly, a pre-Christmas celebration among the three Naga underground organisations was organised by the FNR on December 16 at Town Baptist Church here where leaders from the NSCN-IM, NSCN-K and FGN/NNC sent out Christmas greetings.
IMPHAL, Dec 27 – Manipur Police commandos in a joint operation with Central security forces have rounded up eight cadres of proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party - MC (Lamyanba Khuman) including four women allegedly involved in several cases of bomb attacks, extortion and other anti-social activities in Bishnupur district.
“The Nawdiha police picket is barely 100m from the murder spot. But the police did not come to Singh’s rescue. Maoists shot him and his wife, blew up their house and torched it, too, in an operation that lasted two hours. What were the police doing when rebels abducted the boy?” a protester said.
PTI, Midnapore, 27 December : Maoists have given a 24-hour bandh call in five states on 2 January alleging that CPI(M) cadre yesterday fired at a Christmas tribal fair near Lalgarh in West Midnapore district. "Maoists has called the bandh on 2 January in West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar to protest the unprovoked firing on villagers at Binpur," Maoist leader Kishenji told PTI. He claimed that two persons were killed and four others were injured in the firing at the fair. District Magistrate, Narayan Swarup Nigam confirmed the firing, but it was yet to be ascertained, if there was any casualty. He said that four hardcore Maoists were arrested in this connection.
The report further states that intelligence reports from Aug 7, 2006, had indicated that the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant outfit was making preparations to infiltrate suicide squads into India by the sea route.
"Six alerts were on the possibility of seaborne attacks, 11 were on multiple and simultaneous attacks and three were on fidayeen attacks," the report seen by IANS states.
The statistic is that on an average once in 10 days Indian police busts a Pakistani terror module in India.
“Why is the NIA taking so much interest in cases in Kerala alone. The agency has not shown much interest in the Bangalore, Ahmedabad or Surat blasts but the cases in Kerala,’’ Balakrishnan told newsmen in New Delhi.
The minister’s statement comes in the wake of the NIA decision to investigate two more cases, including the Kalamassery bus burning incident and the one involving recruitment of youths from Kerala to Kashmir. The reports say that the NIA believes that there was a terror angle to the bus burning case, something the state police are yet to unearth. The minister claimed that the NIA could not take up cases prior to 2009 for investigation without the state’s consent.
Thadiyantavide Nazir who is in the custody of Karnataka police is the prime accused while Sufiya Madhani, wife of PDP chairman Abdul Nasser Madhani, is the tenth accused in the bus burning case. The State police are in the final stage of the investigations in this case.
Balakrishnan said that the Central agencies were keeping the State in the dark about the intelligence they had gathered in cases having a Kerala angle. He was also referring to the much-delayed confirmation of the arrest of Nazir and Shafaz from the Indo-Bangladesh border.
This is what I was getting at in my previous post. Bakra is going to be someone else.
Who can be the bigger bakra than someone who has been warned time and again on lack of security conciousness, security awareness, being viewed a soft state.
Citing the changes made by several countries like America and Britain after terror strikes, senior officials argue that it should be left to the Home Ministry to chalk out the plans for securing the nation.
“When some foreign missions based in India sought clarity, we told them that if someone has to worry about tourists’ arrival, it is India which has to worry and not any other nation{Brilliant. The western countries do not stop giving condescending advice to India.},” officials said on the condition of anonymity.
American couple was spotted in Goa and it was found that they were living in India on a tourist visa for last nine years.{It also shows lacunae in Indian policing system}
“The man has been doing everything - setting up business, running a massage parlour, tourist centre etc. We don’t want that kind of a tourist,” the officials said and questioned why there was no murmur after the US tightened its visa rules after the September 2001 terror attack.
“We have every right to protect our own interests,” they said.
Pointing out that the new rules would not affect any other category except the tourist visa, the government argues that no genuine tourist would like to come to India within two months after staying for 180 days.
While we may rejoice the snub give by MEA about visa rules, but th reality is Internal security is super maha Joke.
1) Langadapti journey from Vijayawada to Hyderbad right under the nose of AP police platoons and platoons of them watching Langadapti right royal getting into a Limo ( they might have even saluted him on the way.. )
2) Two foreign Tourists taking a lap top right into the sanctum sactorium of TT.
3) Hyderbad Air port AAI enrolled /certified illegal alien Bdesh guy pushing My trolley right under the nose of Customs in Green channel with out even X ray scanning for Rs 100.
4) Jokers in Chicago not checking on Hardley Davidson anticedents.... while I have to put up insults in NY consulate to get my work done.....
5) You have money you can buy anything buy buy rules, see the above post for starting Business!!, who says India is not investor friendly nation.. you massage and grease your way..
Sorry folks BRF is living in its own world far removed from reality.
India is a land of symbols, right from Satyameva jayathe to Womens rights, ....
One is objective, logical analytical you see the system rotting from the core to crores being made flaunting every rule.
I just finished paying 30 Lakhs in black and 30 lakhs in white for a 3 Bed room apt.
I pay money people are more responsive than Uncle sams public service. In case of uncle SAm they have some integrity of checking basic things and perform service with out money bribing (at common man level, the ,ost recent case in NJ where Jewish corporators were corrupt to the core is one incident that comes close to Indian cases).
Nothing will change tille NBJRE (as Wise man Rahul Mehta identified 12 years ago) is fixed. Rules are truly for fools and fooling the public.
I cant get my PAN card legal way I have to bribe....
Mera Bharat Mahan land of Symbolic Super powers...
"These (issues) are not to be discussed in public. If there are any perceptions, then I think it should be sorted out within the four walls of the ministry," Krishna told reporters when asked to react to Tharoor's comments on social networking site twitter regarding tightening of visa regime.
Krishna underlined that "the business of government is far too serious" and "has to be conduced in a manner in which we decide."
Umrao Das wrote:..... Nothing will change tille NBJRE (as Wise man Rahul Mehta identified 12 years ago) is fixed. Rules are truly for fools and fooling the public.
Thanks . And pls see Neta-babu thread. There is a UL to petition online site. Pls sign that petition so that process of fixing Nbjprie can start.
And pls ask all your friends to sign that petition too.
(I dont wont to post that link here, lest someone will accuse me of spamming).
Phew another joke deploy where? In the sky?. Another ploy to make money.
The moaists are openly roaming Hyderbad and telengana districts, the center does not have balls to do anything. AH PC, hoopnaar (ramar)Pillai are you know what...
Those of you like me who are watching TV can see how brazenly these guys are extortiong money openly in Hyderabad. having lived 1969 agitation, this is exactly how chanda reddy, mallikarjun etc made money from business and public....
No governance only pretentions and symbols....
Sometime back some members were incensed that ours is democracy..blah blah how dare I point the stupidty and contradictions... and people and admins stoked flames of amber... some uber patriots.....
Indians in US have more civil rights than in India themselves.
Rules do not make acountry nor does constitution or voting ( even Muchy and Saddam were elected ). Its the governance period.
It takes about $100, 000 to buy Indian citizenship by any one (easier if you look like Indian, that is If you are a Bdeshi, Paki, Nepali, Sri Lankan, Malay, even Chinese...)
First live for 9 months quietly in a slum ( with refrigerator, Cable TV, own a 100 cc bike)
2) Next befriend a local goon politician.
2.1 optional marry a Indian woman (even if it is third or fourth marriage, ideally marry a minority community woman)
3) Generate a ration card (max cost about US$ 1000)
4) Open a savings Bank account with picture
4) generate a passport based on the above documents
5) Now you are all set to be be Indian buy India
The world is open like Gateway of India..
( all of the above is mentioned in Sacred Games Vikram Chandras book, I have seen and heard first hand accounts of this process give desired results).
All our (in) security officials are hence very smart like SAAG group pundit write beautiful prose post facto.
Sorry I have to agree with TSJ if we have balls we take care of our security, not ask uncle aunty to do or witch about Hardly davidson starting troubles...
sum wrote:What is the latest on the Soofiya case?
Last heard, she was on bail..
Yes she was given bail on health grounds. But looks like sooner or later she would land up in the NIA investigation room. Local news papers report that NIA firmly believes that Kerala is the abode of all Jehadi master-minds. The bombs go off else where, but the brains are from the state. Many bomb blast cases which happened in Kerala are now being relooked by NIA.
The home minister fatso is going ballistic because the NIA are running the show all by themselves. Keeping in mind the local politics, I feel that NIA should not rely much on the state police machinery and should conduct their own investigation. The current CPI(M) regime in Kerala just cannot be trusted with any thing concerned with national security. Short term political goals have made them ready to do any activity irrespective of its long term negative impact.
Came back to say.... Main accussed in the twin blasts at Kozhikode city arrested:Deepika
Yousuf was picked up by the Kochi City police who are investigating a bomb blast in the district collectorate. During the interrogation by Manoj Abraham, Commissioner of Police ; Yousuf confessed that he played the major part of placing the bombs, in Kozhikode. He also have told the police that Soofiya w/o Mahdani had played a large role in the buring down of a SRTC bus in Kalamasseri, Ernakulam Rural Dt. Kochi Police will now hand over Yousuf to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Looks like the police on the surface are going slow on Mr. and Mrs. Mahdani, but in the background doing good ground work (and mustering evidence from various sources) to form a solid case before going for the final kill .
Yes she was given bail on health grounds. But looks like sooner or later she would land up in the NIA investigation room. Local news papers report that NIA firmly believes that Kerala is the abode of all Jehadi master-minds. The bombs go off else where, but the brains are from the state. Many bomb blast cases which happened in Kerala are now being relooked by NIA.
About time before Kerala becomes another "Londinistan" of India.
Good that people are not hiding their open distrust of the KP, the recent Karnataka police- Nazir episode should testify to this. If this is the trust a state police is placing, can imagine the good work central agencies must be doing in the background in Kerala without the KP even knowing. Hopefully, this will lead to a major cleanup of the Jehadi swamp there.
)
while I have to put up insults in NY consulate to get my work done.....
. And pls see Neta-babu thread. There is a UL to petition online site. Pls sign that petition so that process of fixing Nbjprie can start. 
.