BANGALORE: Senior police officials are of the view that the terrorist attack on the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on Wednesday could have been prevented had the IISc revamped its security as advised by the police earlier.

Sources in the State police department told The Hindu on Thursday that at least on three occasions senior police officials had advised the Registrar of the IISc to change the existing security system and appoint guards from another security agency. The IISc presently hires guards from a private security agency.

Security breach

The police had made these suggestions after there was major security breach at the campus on April 10, 2005, when the Prime Minister of China Wen Jiabao visited the institution, the sources said.

On the same day, Tenzin Tsundue, a Tibetan youth, climbed the tower on the fourth floor of the faculty hall building and displayed a banner with the slogan "Free Tibet."

Subsequently, a senior IPS officer met the Registrar of the IISc and advised him to revamp the security apparatus. Later, Director-General of Police (Corps of Detectives) K.R. Sreenivasan, who conducted an inquiry into the security fiasco during the Chinese premier's visit, too had told the Registrar about the need for heightening security, the sources said.

Recently, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) G.B. Chebbi reviewed the security with IIScauthorities and suggested that it be tightened, the sources added.

When The Hindu sought the views of Director-General and Inspector-General of Police B.S. Sial on the IISc "ignoring" the suggestions of the police, he said this was not the time for the blame game.

CISF security

He said it was for the IISc to write to the Centre and get the services of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to guard its premises.

The IISc Director P. Balaram told presspersons at the M.S. Ramaiah Hospital that the security at the institute was "minimal" as it was an academic institution.

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