In the run up to the assembly polls in five states, the National Security Guard (NSG) has defused several improvised explosive devices (IEDs). While a court complex in Ludhiana witnessed a deadly blast on December 23, security agencies have been successful in defusing two sophisticated IEDs— one each in Punjab and Delhi—on January 14.
In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, NSG director general M.A. Ganapathy said sticky bombs and weaponised drones would be the next major challenge for security forces. Excerpts:
Q/ The NSG has defused several IEDs in the past few months. What is the latest pattern?
A/ The threat of IEDs has increased significantly in recent years. There is a clear pattern of IEDs being dropped in India’s border areas through drones. A large number of such IEDs have been defused and analysed by the NSG’s bomb disposal teams. Most of these IEDs are sophisticated and indicate the role of state or quasi-state entities behind their fabrication. The latest trend is of sticky bombs. The NSG is aware of the threat of IEDs emanating from forces inimical to India and has the wherewithal to deal with it.
The NSG is also the repository of bomb data from across the country. The National Bomb Data Centre has been collecting and analysing data for many years. The NBDC will be upgraded through a digital portal where all stakeholders are connected under one platform and there is seamless flow of information regarding all major IED blasts in the country. Such flow of information will also include post blast as well as predictive analysis.
Q/ There are concerns about NSG commandos being roped in for VIP security duty instead of focusing on counter-terror operations.
Denne historien er fra January 30, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra January 30, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
