Mangaluru blast turns spotlight on role of public in national security

MYSURU: The low-intensity blast in Mangaluru brought to light the extensive network that the accused – Mohammed Shariq – had been a part of, besides revealing the modus operandi he employed to stay undetected by the law enforcement authorities. Given that Shariq had been an inhabitant of Mysuru city for months on end, police have decided to launch a campaign to educate the public on the need to form a neighbourhood watch in their respective localities.
Additional director general of police (law and order) Alok Kumar too has issued an advisory to the public, asking them to take necessary steps to ascertain the identity of their neighbours. The ADGP also exhorted homeowners to verify the antecedents of prospective tenants before letting their homes to the same.
Incidentally, 24-year-old Shariq had been booked by Shivamogga police three months ago when it was found that he had been using an Aadhaar card of another individual. Shivamogga police had suspected Shariq of having links with terrorist outfits. However, the 24-year-old went underground, and remained undiscovered, taking on the identity of a youngster from North Karnataka, and living in a rented room in Mysuru. Shariq’s apparent success in keeping his identity hidden from his neighbours has turned the spotlight on the role of public in keeping vigilance.
Admitting to the lack of a system that could render the process of verifying strangers’ credentials and the authenticity of documents easier for the public, law enforcement authorities, however, said that they could, however, verify antecedents, besides asking for references. In the event of citizens harbouring suspicions about the authenticity of an individual’s Aadhaar card or any other government-issued document, they could intimate the local cops, who could carry out a verification procedure.
The Mobile-Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System is currently helping police to identify individuals with a criminal record by scanning a person's fingerprints. Similarly, officials say that putting in place a system that could help map biometric data of citizens on the existing Aadhaar database could help weed out those furnishing fraudulent documents.
Aadhaar coordinator for Mysuru district, Lakshmi said, “All citizens can secure the confidentiality of their biometric information using the lock, and unlock option on the Aadhaar website. This will prevent others from using their Aadhaar card should anyone lose or have it stolen. However, ascertaining the credentials of individuals furnishing Aadhaar cards is difficult at the grassroots level.”
Deputy Commissioner of police (law and order) Pradeep Gunti said that, security at the points of ingress and egress to Mysuru had been tightened in the aftermath of the blast in Mangaluru. “We are trying to educate the public about the need to be watchful of those prowling suspiciously in their neighbourhoods. Property owners must provide details of their tenants to local cops in case they have reservations,” Gunti said.