The Ranchi connection of Patna serial bomb blasts has once again proved the fact that Jharkhand is gradually turning into a safe heaven for terror outfits and their operatives. And, the State has become really vulnerable to terror attacks and their modus operandi. However, former DGPs of Jharkhand strongly feel that the State administration and police’s orientation towards curbing Maoist related incidents and less attention to terror groups is making Jharkhand a favourite destination for the terror modules.
“There is no denying with the fact that there is a police failure. Signs of activities of terror groups had been visible much before my tenure as DGP and we had been constantly keeping a watch with best of our intelligence. However, in course of time the State Police and Government have not taken them (terrorists) very seriously. Focus is more on Maoist-related activities than terrorists-related ones,” said former DGP GS Rath.
“A lot of terrorism related activities are taking place across the country, but the State police in not ready with that leadership, intelligence and coordination to tackle the menace. Basic policing has been badly ignored. For example Sithio village had been under scanner for bad reasons earlier but there was a complete lack of local and community policing at the ground level. Moreover, there should not be a lack of coordination between security and intelligence agencies across the states,” Rath added.
Ex-DGP VD Ram, who was predecessor to Rath and had been appointed twice the DGP of Jharkhand, said that a terrorist finds a place safe heaven due to three reasons. “A shelter where one gets easy intermingling with the locals, less police scanning in the area and topographically suitable for hiding is favourable for terror outfit members. You may use the words police laxity because there is lack of both intelligence inputs and strict law and order in the State,” Ram said.
“These elements that are coming to surface now had come to light 5-6 years back. But there was lack of constant vigil on them. The focus of the State police is certainly more on Maoists activities than on terror modules. We strictly need to strengthen intelligence within the State and keep a close watch on any suspicious activity being carried out across the State. It will take years and years but it has to be done,” he added.
Former DGP RR Prasad, however, feels that Police’s job is not a scientific work it rather needed a little luck and a little public support. “You cannot stop one’s thought process. You have to stop them act in an improper way. A group of 4-5 people living in an area, planning anti-national activities is hard to stop only with the police force. Public support is a must. We have to be vigilant to stop such incidents and an alert police can do good job with an alert public,” he said adding that it was time to give a pat to the coordinated effort of security forces after the attacks.
Another ex-DGP, who did not wish to be named said that the issue was more than what meets to the eyes. “Eyes of a human being cannot reach inside the walls of a house. Police can’t do much in such cases as it is a social problem. lack of education, unemployment, poverty breeds such problems. Criminality was there since ages. Only the nature of crimes has changed. Jharkhand is ravaged by extremists but you don’t say them anything. Terrorism is a natural outcome of the social situation. If some guys are being used for political purposes for few thousand bucks how will you stop themIJ We should rather think about the root causes of such issues than passing the buck to each other,” he said.