Since the blasts in Delhi, I've been thinking about security. Post-blasts, there's been a lot of hype in the papers about a lack of security. The public is angry with the authorities for not having forseen this, for their lack of intelligence on militant activties, ...for being reactive rather than proactive.

Post-blasts, however, you can "see" that security has been increased in several parts in the NCR region. Police personnel have been deployed to several areas, including malls,movie halls, and other places where people gather in large numbers.

But I cant help asking myself..."Is this all just being to done CONVINCE the public?"

I visit, metro mall almost every sunday. Post-blasts, if were to carry my bag into the mall, the guard at the entrance would frisk my bag to check if I were carrying an explosive or something. At almost the same time I'm thinking, "Do you think someone who actuals wants to carry an explosive would walk in through the front door of the mall?!!".

I get bugged each time they ask me to show me the contents of my bag. So now I get into Mcdonald's (which has an entry from outside) and then get into the mall through the backdoor. No one notices, no frisking, no questions asked. So much for the security !


There was an article in the TOI about the detectors kept at Pallika Bazaar. The article says they are metal detectors. But guess what? If someone were to walk into Pallika bazaar with RDX strapped all over him , the detector cant detect it. Cos RDX can only be detected by a benzene detector. Oh! oh!


My concept of excellent security is when the people dont know that they are being checked,frisked or monitored. In good airports for example, my guess is that the metal detectors at the security check point are all kept for "show" - to convince the passengers that they are doing some checking! My guess, is that the passenger often travels through several detectors innocously placed in different points of the airport - but he/she is never aware of this!

For example, the passenger would probably never know, that when he enters a duty-free shop, he/she has already passed through a detector. The passenger will never know that the beautiful and friendly woman at the cashier counter is actually a member of the security staff,highly trained to detect psychological signs given by a trouble maker.

When I was at the KL airport, I simply didnt have to go through the frisking by security or anything like that. My guess is, I might have been "frisked" by a hundred cameras already (some of them probably see-through! )


I'm not sure if a metro mall or a pallika bazaar has this concept of an invisible "security cloak" established. If they have, I havent seen it yet - and that's a good thing. If they havent, well ...all i can say is ...Oh!oh!