Samjhauta incident: Shadow of doubt on investigating agencies
It has been twelve years since 68 people died in Samjhauta express blast. National Investigation Agency has carried out a long inquiry and acquitted the main accused Swami Aseemanand. What does this mean? How did the 68 people die? Who has to answer this question?
Everybody knows Swami Aseemanand and three other accused have Sangh Parivar background. Aseemananda had even given a confession statement on this case. Now he has been acquitted. Prosecution has failed to prove the charges levelled against him, the court said. About 8 people were accused in this case and one among them was killed. Three have disappeared. Another four people have been acquitted. But the investigating agency has no answer as to who I responsible for the death of 68 people.
Most of the people who died in this are Pakistan citizens. Communal elements had been opposing this train that connected two countries and hence planted a bomb in this locomotive that stood as a symbol of peace, and love. The communal elements wouldn’t ever tolerate two countries existing in peace with each other. It’s very evident that communal elements in both countries are behind this massacre.
Swami Aseemananda, an RSS activist is not an ordinary man. He was accused in Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad and Ajmer Dargah blast cases too. He has been acquitted in those as well. Prosecution has said long ago that Aseemanand was the Hindutva extremist mastermind who avenged the 2002 Akshar Dham temple attack. Swami Aseemanand himself had given a long statement about saffron terror and retracted his words later. Haryana police had investigated the case and then it was handed over to NIA.
But after Modi assumed the PM’s chair in 2014, there have been criticisms about NIA’s handling of the case under NDA rule. Some people turned hostile and the prosecution failed to defend charges. The failure of prosecution is very evident in Samjhauta express case that was bound to derail the talks of peace between India and Pakistan. Looks like prosecution came under the influence of central government or political pressure. Whatever be the case, a transparent inquiry needs to be carried into the bomb explosion case that killed 68 persons and those responsible for this evil incident have to be brought to book. Else people will begin to doubt the diligence of investigating agencies.
Rational thinkers such as Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and Dr M M Kalburgi cases have also not seen great progress in bringing the culprits to the book. Investigating agencies have been given earful in case of Pansare murder by Mumbai High Court. Since the then CM Siddaramaiah handed over the investigation of Gauri Lankesh’s murder to SIT, things have progressed well. Everywhere BJP is in power, there are charges that the party even protects those people who spread unrest in the name of religion.
More than 2000 people died in Gujarat massacre and the investigation of this incident is far from satisfactory. Even now a lot of accused are walking around scot-free. People lose faith on law and order when such things happen. Criminal, fascists and such elements have entered all levels of administration. They pose a challenge to constitutional duties. Hence all citizens need to chase them out of constitutional institutions.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
