Least did the public expect that when officials said “Dasara security arrangements will be fool-proof”, they only meant that there would be enough proof that they can be breached even by a fool.
It was not too long ago that terrorists Fahad and Mohammed Ali were caught in Mysore. The duo had confessed that the world famous Mysore Palace, Krishnarajasagara reservoir and other historical landmarks of the city were their targets.
The confessions had come as a shock to complacent Mysoreans. That the City’s landmarks with which they shared an emotional bonding, could be “targets” for some others, was a rude reminder of the global terror’s spreading tentacles.
Mysore City Commissioner of Police Bhaskar Rao’s promise that security arrangements during this Dasara would be of “top order” reassured the Mysoreans that there would be nothing to fear during the nada habba.
But nothing much seems to have changed on the ground. Deccan Herald did a reality check on the security situation in Mysore late on Saturday night when the city was in deep slumber. Here is how the night unravelled, confirming the suspicion that Mysore during this Dasara is a sitting duck for anyone with the inclination to foment trouble.
11:10 pm, DC’s Office: Some gates are locked. The only alert souls around are some hijras soliciting customers. One even comes close to the car and returns cursing when she sees a lady at the wheel.
11:16 pm, Mysore Palace: Two policemen stand guard near Varaha and Balarama gates. When this reporter enters the building with a camera, one of the sleepy policemen leaves his neatly polished heavy rifle on the ground and comes forward asking who she is.
A mere reply that she is “from local media” is enough to gain admission into the building without any checking or cross-verification. Hardly any soul is present near Varaha gate — the main entrance for tourists. The palace has five access points in all.
11.30 pm, Mysore Zoo: The lone security guard is in deep sleep.
12:25 am, On road to KRS: Four police constables, one of them a traffic policeman, are posted near the toll gate, a few kilometres away from the city centre. Saturday night traffic is heavy what with young party-goers either heading home or IT crowd bound to Bangalore.
The constables merely signal for the car to slow down, peep in and wave it on. No checking the car or its boot or the occupants. Neither is the vehicle’s number noted down before allowing it to pass.
Notwithstanding the ground realities, the Police Commissioner has promised to make the Dasara “hassle free” by posting nearly 3,000 policemen at various places.
He has said CCTVs would be installed to track down any miscreant (wonder how, though!) creating trouble after the festivities are over.
When confronted with the reality check, the police commissioner claimed his policemen do not create problems for the general public. “We do not nab anyone without basis. We work closely with many departments and get inputs on the movement of criminals before acting,” he added.
