The Hindu : Front Page : Shake-up in intelligence set-up soon in State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007
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Shake-up in intelligence set-up soon in State

W. Chandrakanth

Lack of harmony between different police wings

HYDERABAD: Concerned deeply over the intelligence failure in averting Saturday’s twin explosions in the State capital that took 40 lives, the Government has decided to shake up the intelligence machinery and enforce greater coordination between different police wings.

A feeling has gained ground in the higher echelons of the Government that the intelligence set up was in hibernation for far too long and it was time that an aggressive strategy was chalked out to protect the lives of citizens from cross-border terrorism. A highlight of this strategy, to be placed before the Cabinet next week, is the creation of an umbrella agency to knit together different intelligence wings.

Lack of harmony between the main wing (political intelligence), the State Intelligence Bureau (looking into extremist and terrorist activities) and the VIP security wing, besides the Special Branch (field operations in each district) has been identified as a major cause of concern. Efforts are now being made to trace where the Central Intelligence Bureau’s warning about a possible terrorist attack in Hyderabad was lost.

The Government is mulling two options – whether to go in for ‘visible and aggressive policing’ that could lead to political ramifications for the ruling Congress or gear up for a phase of ‘speedy, stealthy and intelligent way’ of policing.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, admitting to shortcomings in policing such as manpower shortage, disclosed that the Government would make sure that there was better coordination and use of modern techniques. He indicated in an interview that he had directed police to smoke out terror operatives ‘systematically’ said no one would be spared.

Forewarning

Reports suggest that the Government was caught totally off-guard due to the crumbling intelligence edifice despite IB’s forewarning about Harkat ul-Jehad-e-Islami designs. The malaise is attributed to manpower shortage at operational level with 75 post of deputy superintendents of police and circle inspectors lying vacant.

Direct recruitment of sub-inspectors to intelligence wings has stopped and those recruited earlier have moved to other wings. Promotions are woefully lacking in the department as are “creature comforts” offered by other wings. A proposal to give 30 per cent of basic pay as incentive is lying in cold storage whereas 60 per cent is given to Greyhounds and 30 per cent to Andhra Police Academy staff.

There is no check to ensure that law and order wing and the Intelligence wings do not work at “cross purposes”. Another loophole is that the intelligence wings of field formations and the city Special Branch do not believe in ‘resource sharing’. The cumulative effect of all these lapses was evident after Saturday’s tragedies at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat at Koti.

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