People’s perception on security remains unchanged

10 years after the 10 26/11 fidayeen commandos raided Mumbai, the security perception and response of common man is yet to undergo a paradigm shift.

This is the situation on ground even though security and intelligence apparatus has been beefed up considerably.

Security experts and intelligence officials said that it is imperative that Mumbaikars too are part of security structure given the fact that Inida’s financial capital has always been on the radar of terror groups.

Post 26/11 attacks, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was strengthened, a hub of National Security Guard (NSG) set up and Force One, a commando force, raised and the Maharashtra Intelligence Academy (MIA) also got functioning. Now, all police stations in the state have dedicated Anti-Terror Cells (ATCs).

Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) are also in place and the coastal security too has been significantly beefed up.

“However, there need to be more awareness among the public. We need to follow basic security drills, help the police during security checks and also look below the seats when we board buses and trains, report unidentified objects or any suspicious activity,” security analyst Shirish Inamdar said.

“We must follow the four Ps: prepare, protect, prevent and pursue,” he added.

Even tough several measures have been taken to intensify security in Mumbai and elsewhere in the state, since the Mumbai incident four terrorist attacks have took place in Maharashtra:

The February 13, 2010 blast at Pune’s German Bakery, the July 13, 2011 triple blasts in Mumbai— at the diamond hub of Opera House, jewellry market at Zaveri Bazaar and crowded Dadar Kabutarkhana—, the multiple blasts on August 1, 2012 in Pune and the blast on June 11, 2014, outside the Faraskhana police station in Pune.

“We have suffered, but still we don’t bother to check, whether there is something below the seat when we board local trains or if there is an unattended bag,” Shirish said, adding that Mumbai is a city that cannot take any chances.