It appears that Hyderabad is proving to be a soft target for terror attacks. Once again it’s about mass casualties and blame-game. There is a feeling that there is a communication gap between the Central and State intelligence agencies. While ruling party and Opposition leaders get unmatched security, it is the defenceless common man who is always ends up being the victim.
K.S. Sundaram,
Bangalore
The only way out to stop these cruel acts of inhumanity is by strengthening security in crowded areas. There must be anti-terror drills at regular intervals with a review held periodically.
Ksheerasagara Srikanth,
Hyderabad
The media must be complimented for playing a responsible, professional and ethical role this time by appealing to politicians not to visit the blast areas and obstruct investigations and rescue measures. Equally good was when local TV channels appealed to people near the sites to donate blood and help in coordinating things with the relatives of those dead and injured. Every citizen must not be prone to emotional outbursts. This only helps in fanning terror.
J.P. Reddy,
Nalgonda
February 21 reflects the lack of political will to combat terror. The need of the hour, to use a cliché, is action and not empty statements and ineffective plans. There needs to be a well-coordinated national agency to combat terrorism in the States that are vulnerable to terror strikes.
K. Chidanand Kumar,
Bangalore
It is time again for the agonisingly familiar reactions: “dastardly,” “culprits will be brought to book” and “compensation will be given.” Statements that there were “some inputs” that terrorists might strike at “some places” and that “advisories” were sent to the State governments are hollow and devoid of substance. Without specific intelligence could the “advisories” prevent the damage? Equally agonising is the call by some political parties for a State-wide bandh . What is this going to achieve?
B. Harish,
New Delhi
Some solutions are: more police patrolling, especially at night; high-level monitoring with hourly reviews in places of high-value like religious places, railway stations, bus stations; community policing in crowded places and at rush hour; a close watch over the sale of raw materials which can be used as ingredients in explosives; a 911 kind of emergency response system; effective post-blast management especially crowd management; greater awareness through drills; a recognition and reward system for those who provide valuable information, and non-conventional security issues such as terrorism and naxalism to be made a subject under the Concurrent List.
Rahul Gowlikar,
Hyderabad
Every bomb blast is followed by our leaders, right from the Prime Minister, “unequivocally condemning the barbaric and cowardly act of terrorism.” The truth is that this has been reduced to a ritual and offers no solace or confidence to citizens. This particularly when the Union Home Minister has denied that the blasts were a result of intelligence failure and has added that an “alert,” although general in nature, was issued by the Centre to some vulnerable States. This is the usual blame game and pattern to escape responsibilities.
P.R.V. Raja,
Pandalam