Intel told to spy on heads of outfits

The communication, according to reliable sources, states that during the first round of collection of details, the intelligence personnel have to cover leaders of organisations like Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Sriram Sene, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishat. During the second round, heads of all the parties will be covered.
The entire process includes collection of photos of the individuals, their addresses, photographs of their houses and vehicles, etc. So far, the intelligence department only collected passport size photographs of the individuals.

The communication has left the intelligence personnel in the lurch as they feel that apart from being a burden, the exercise is in a way stalking into someone’s privacy.

“How can we stand in front of an individual’s house and click photos? If any member of the individual’s family approaches us, what are we supposed to say?” said personnel of the intelligence department of various districts, who confirmed that the department had received such a circular.

The intelligence wing is often short of manpower. In a district like Dakshina Kannada, the wing has not had a DySP and a SP for the last five months. There are only eight constables working here. When such is the situation, they may not be able to perform this additional task.

However, when contacted, IGP (Intelligence) Gopal B Hosur termed the information ‘kite flying’. “I have not sent any communication of this sort,” said Hosur, who is known to be very particular about maintaining records and building documents in any part of the State he works.