Winless battle for terrorists
Destructive forces have popped up yet again in India after a brief hiatus. With an aim of sowing hatred, anti-India forces carried out a high-intensity blast near a crowded junction in Red Fort Metro Station on Monday. India has been on a perpetual high alert since the Pahalgam terrorist attack on nationals earlier this year. Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir had also threatened to give a befitting reply to India after going through a scare from the lethal and precise Operation Sindoor.
The fact that the intelligence agencies and others were on high alert and were able to carry out the explosion in the evening during a rush hour near the Red Fort, the most strategic place in Delhi, is proof of how meticulously terrorists work under the nose of India’s adroit secret agencies. This has duly raised the fear among nationals of more such inhumane attacks on the public.
The time, place, and method of the blast give a wider picture of what was a meticulously executed effort. It might have taken months of preparation before the assailants executed the plan on Monday. More frightening information is yet to come out through the investigation conducted by the NIA and other central agencies. After the initial investigation, forensic evidence, and intelligence information pointed to a terrorist link in the blast, the Delhi Police registered a case under the UAPA. The first picture of Dr Umar Mohammed, the suspected suicide bomber behind the blast in New Delhi, has also been released. Umar is the owner of the white Haryana-registered I-20 car that exploded near the Red Fort.
Born in 1989 in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, Umar was a doctor at the Al Falah Medical College. Banned outfits have been using novel ideals of recruiting and beguiling people in white collar jobs to be part of their heinous plan. To an extent, they have seen success, and it warrants serious consideration and concern. Well-educated people are least likely to be under the radar of police and investigative agencies, making it a tad easier for terrorists to execute their plan surreptitiously.
Two members of this group were recently arrested. The indications now are that Umar, who had close links with them, was escaping from Faridabad when he decided to carry out the blast in Delhi. The investigating officers suspect that Umar was driving the vehicle. This vehicle was parked in a parking lot near the Red Fort for more than three hours. It is clear from the CCTV footage that the car, which arrived at 3.19 pm, left here at 6.30 pm. The Jammu and Kashmir Police recently arrested eight people, including three doctors, who were linked to terrorist organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammed. Following information received from them, 2900 kg of explosives were recovered from Faridabad. Similarly, last Sunday, the Anti-Terrorism Squad had arrested a Hyderabad-based doctor and two aides in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. They were trying to make explosives. Whether the arrests of such groups are linked to the Delhi blasts is something that needs to be revealed in a detailed investigation.
The official statement said that 12 people have died in the blast so far. 24 people have been injured. Many of them are in critical condition. Prime Minister Modi vowed to bring all the perpetrators and their associates involved to justice. The Union Home Minister visited the blast site at night. He has called a high-level meeting in Delhi. Along with exposing those behind the blast, it is also important for the people to know, based on clear evidence, whether the roots of the planning extend to Pakistan. The New Delhi blast raises suspicions that an inter-state terrorist network is operating within the country. Therefore, it is imperative to continue to be extremely vigilant in strategic areas and crowded places.
It was just a few days back that the most reliable global magazine, 'The Economist’, praised the Indian Economy for staying resilient amidst tumultuous times. In the economic arena, the world's leading multinational companies, including Google, are preparing to become investors in the country. The attack might also be a meek attempt from terrorists to portray the nation as unsafe and delay the development.
Inflaming factionalism only serves to divert attention from real issues and allow the true faces of hatred to escape. India is no stranger when it comes to facing harder times and carries a reputation for being resolute and sturdy during times of ordeal. The nation has seen far greater turmoil in erstwhile times. The integrity of a strong India will not be destroyed by waging a secret war. A high-intensity explosion near Red Fort or the dastardly crime in Pahalgam will not be sufficient to stop the nation’s cruise to become a big power among the world’s elites in the coming future. Terrorists will soon succumb, as it is a winless battle.