The Hindu : Front Page : It was all over at the airport in five minutes

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Monday, Jul 30, 2007
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It was all over at the airport in five minutes

Karnataka Bureau

Media frenzy amidst scramble for sound bites

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

The WAIT IS OVER: Mother of Mahammed Haneef (left) and a relative wait for his arrival at his wife’s residence in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: Rarely had the city seen such media frenzy. The media had been staking out at the airport ever since word went around — falsely as it turned out — that Mohammed Haneef would arrive from Bangkok at 9.30 a.m. on Sunday.

The electronic media was at the airport ready with OB vans, camera and crew. Feeds were being up-linked live even as rumours flew thick and fast.

Inside the visitors’ lounge, about 25 relatives had their eyes glued to the glass door that promised Dr. Haneef’s arrival. Several hours of yawns and stretches later, the day turned into a rainy night when the most eagerly awaited passenger finally emerged at 9.55 p.m.

Immediately mobbed by hundreds of people, the tired doctor, his lawyer Peter Russo, and relative Imran Siddiqui, shielded by a posse of police and CISF personnel, were whisked away to the vehicle that left the scene with such haste that photographers perched on it tumbled on the wet ground.

It was not just the media which was waiting for Dr. Haneef to arrive. Huge throngs leaned across railings to catch a glimpse of him. They called out his name and shouted their thanks to Mr. Russo for his role in securing his release.

Dr. Haneef, keeping his composure amidst the frenzy, did try to pose for the flashing cameras and waved to the public before he was bundled into the car.

Relatives and well wishers, waiting with garlands to greet him, were a disappointed lot as they were overwhelmed by the surging crowd which seemed to emerge out of nowhere and trailed him all the way to his vehicle.

It was all over in five minutes at the airport.

More was to come at the house of Dr. Haneef’s wife. An army of media personnel parked itself outside the gate. Nobody, including the three platoons of police, was prepared for the unprecedented scramble. As Dr. Haneef’s arrival got progressively delayed, the restive media tried to barge into the house.

There were frayed tempers as journalists jostled for space and snapped at each other. Dr. Haneef’s relatives, aghast by the scrum, tried to keep them at bay. But the media was unyielding.

All this proved too much for 24-year-old Firdous who had carried herself with so much of dignity during her previous interactions with the media.

She broke down and told The Hindu: “Please understand that we have been under so much of tension. Give us some time and we will allow you all to talk to him.”

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