[Reader-list] Behind the Batla House shootout - Praveen Swami

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

Javaed bhai,

Thanks for your reply. I wholeheartedly welcome the first two lines of your
e-mail. Not many on this forum have had the courage to call him a martyr of
this nation. Anti-State Bashers are sleeping, I guess, and wake up only when
their "Wonderland" stories are crisp and fine to present.

However, The next part of your mail; really doesn't go too well. How have
you come to the conclusion that Inspector Sharma's death is unclear and
hazy. AIIMS doctors have submitted their report saying terrorists pumped
bullets into him. Also, an expert would know that if it is fired from a very
close range the bullet crosses one's body and leaves more wound and blood at
the exit point. That is where this bull-shit theory of bullet being fired
from back came in. These are all rumours spread by all those who don't want
peace; many such people are in a great rush on this forum too. They love
media publicity they get by speaking against the state and the police; even
though they don't have any strong evidence to back their sick argument.

- Why don't you question the terrorists at any moment of time ?
- How do you think these terrorists managed to get AK-47's in Jamia Nagar ?


Please read my last mail again. I've mentioned clearly that I don't want to
defend any agency, any newspaper or other media; or even pseudo-scalars
present here. I've my point; which I'm trying to make easy for you to
understand. Why should I speak for anyone ? Rather you are doing it. Kindly
introspect and then write.

In regard to the example of my imprisonment; I was just making things easier
for you and explaining the wide range in crime; to help you understand it in
tits and bits. I was arrested with friends during an agitation recently in
the New Delhi area; and was in a lock up for more than 24 hrs and even
though there was strict discipline and we had to pass through law at every
minute. Now, how could you expect a terrorist being given VIP treatment when
an ordinary person with almost no serious crime even faced a tough law and
for good ? Terrorists can't be given all freedom in Jails. They need to be
taken to task; but whatever legal rights they are entitled to should be
provided. And, if state comes in way, Court needs to intervene; that would
be most unfortunate. This, however hasn't happened till now.

Obviously, we can't compare this encounter with any such or other incident
before. This was after a while that something of this nature happened in
such a location in the capital. Surely, it had some larger strategy in mind.


I don't understand how, why and from where and  in which context do you
blame Praveen Swami and India Today. Why would have Praveen Swami then
written about it in the newspaper column and not a front page article ?
Doesn't this tinkle in your mind anywhere ? If India Today did it, where was
Aaj Tak and Headlines Today ?

Blaming is the best and easiest you can do. In that case, even I can say
that only channels like NDTV, CNN-IBN and a few more are more pseudo and are
covering only your point of view. They lay emphasis on this false story that
this encounter was fake. How would you justify this ?

You are speaking more like any rival media group....lol Please don't get
this intra-media war in here. As I said, crime journalists have sources in
Police and even Home Ministry and elsewhere; that is where they get their
store of information. Maybe, other journalists are not interested. That is
their choice. Also, "The Hindu" is more of a leftist paper. That is more
strange for you, for me.

I think 'India Today' in the last year or more have been one of the only
media groups to counter and expose the Government at the Centre from various
corners. How can you come to such a strange conclusion then ? Isn't it just
to immature on your part ?
They did ask questions, and continue to. I'm not defending. My opinion.

I reiterate, this mere anti-state propaganda by activists who are 'good at
nothing' and trying to appease Musims; as elections are round the corner.

I'm not at fault, if all TERRORISTS are MUSLIMS :-) They call it Jihad. Am I
wrong ?

Even I've nothing against you. So, kindly don't be the one to defend
terrorists and speak on their behalf. As you said, Prashant Bhushan is there
to handle that. Isn't it ?

Love
Aditya Raj Kaul






On 10/13/08, Javed <javedmasoo at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Dear Aditya ji
> Yes we are all saddened by the death of Inspector Sharma. I think he
> died a martyr's death - we should be proud of him. But it is still not
> clear who killed him - terrorists or someone else. The autopsy report
> has not been made public. The AIIMS doctors have said that the Holy
> Family hospital mutilated the evidence from his body.
>
> On one hand you are asking me to go and ask Praveen Swami and India
> Today myself. Then on the other hand you are answering on their
> behalf. You don't have to apologetic about the system. The current
> situation cannot be compared with all the previous situations,
> including your own imprisonment, although you didn't specify what was
> your crime.
>
> In this case, it is very clear that the authorities have selectively
> invited India Today and Praveen Swami to get deep access to all their
> secrets. When everyone is asking for transparency and a judicial
> enquiry, and the govt categorically denies both, why do they become
> transparent only to some journalists? It is not an ordinary case - its
> a matter of national security. Are these journalists favoured because
> they will not ask any questions, and write what it told to them.
> Others are likely to question.
>
> This is not a matter of anti-state propaganda or Muslim appeasement.
> When an entire community is being driven up the wall for harbouring
> terrorism, peaceful people need to defend themselves. If the local
> residents have not been given satisfactory answers to their questions,
> they have the right to ask. Why are you answering on behalf of the
> police - no one is questioning you. I have nothing against you.
>
> J
>
> On Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 12:14 AM, Aditya Raj Kaul
>
> <kauladityaraj at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Javed bhai,
> >
> > Aadab. The discussion was on the authenticity of the encounter; which as
> > clearly visible is being deviated to post-encounter period now. So, I
> > suppose we can only go ahead when all agree that Encounter was no doubt
> > genuine and bravely fought by our martyr Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma.
> > Thanks for your silent support :-)
> >
> > Now, coming to your queries there after. I consider Praveen Swami an
> > excellent writer and intelligence expert of Terrorism and to some extent
> > also on Kashmir. However, this does not mean, I'm there to defend him
> every
> > time. So, maybe you can direct these questions to him on his e-mail or
> else
> > to "The Hindu" newspaper; which was the lone newspaper to have the guts
> to
> > publish the truth so blunt apart from a few hindi dailies.
> >
> > Since, The terrorists who have been arrested from Jamia or elsewhere are
> > lodged in a sensitive prison inside Asia's largest prison; you do have
> some
> > security concerns to address. At the same time, they are not VIP's on
> some
> > tour to the Jail, that your ANYONE can meet them ANYTIME. There are a few
> > visits allowed per week to certain amount of people including lawyers and
> > they need to take prior permission. If there were problems faced in
> meeting
> > them, its very unfortunate; and I think this is more so an administrative
> > problem.
> >
> > Even I was arrested sometime back and lodged inside a Jail; even I wasn't
> > permitted to a lawyer or to directly interact with relatives personally
> for
> > hours. This surely is a serious concern and needs to be addressed. Its a
> > shame that Govt. doesn't take steps in this regard.
> >
> > Agreeing to the above, at the same time we can't take this out of bounds
> to
> > compare this with Human Rights, Biased Government and anti-state
> rhetoric.
> > Enough of that crap. Get above all this Drama now.
> >
> > Prashant Bhushan isn't the loan lawyer; just to fill you up with
> > information. There a few more, though young and even they faced tough
> time;
> > but did manage to meet the terrorists lodged inside the Jail and take
> > necessary signatures and details from them.
> >
> > If L-18 hasn't been open to media, then again its a sad story. But, I
> think
> > now there is less of Police force around the area and the people are back
> to
> > normal routine. Its unfortunate some elements tried to instigate communal
> > tension in the area. Fortunately, nothing happened.
> >
> > The questions about India Today, can be best addressed to them. They were
> > the one's to invite Terrorist Yasin Malik to the India Today Conclave a
> few
> > months back,Do I need say more ?
> >
> > Pravin Swami's information was based on whatever intelligence information
> > Police shared with media from time to time. To add to this, obviously
> senior
> > Journalists and experts no doubt have sources in the Government, Police
> etc.
> > This isn't an old news.
> >
> > Faces of accused is covered for their benefit alone. Don't see a reason
> why
> > it bothers you ?
> >
> > These are simple excuses to just corner the state and the Police for just
> no
> > reason. Just to fan imaginary anti-Muslim wave, all this is being done. I
> > made rest of the things amply clear in my last e-mail; please do go
> through
> > it.
> >
> > Journalism these days is all about biased editorials, bought news
> articles
> > and market. How do you expect a Terrorist Yasin Malik to get so much
> > attention in media then ? Give me a break too Sir, most media groups are
> > hell bent on proving this encounter as fake; which till now they have
> failed
> > to. How will they possibly hide the truth ? Brave M.C. Sharma did a
> fabulous
> > job.
> >
> > You have seen Amar Singh and others. Who is the next politician hunting
> for
> > votes ?
> >
> > This is all about Muslim Appeasement. On 14th Sept. Muslim clerics are
> > meeting to disuss this sudden so called Muslim terrorising thing.
> >
> > Note: The PM himself has said no to probe. What more can you do ?
> Arundhati
> > Roy may pose for shutter bugs by visiting her friends in Jamia; but that
> > won't help. It just exposes their corrupt mindset and divisive policies.
> > Instigating Muslims is what they can do most, only to widen the gap. How
> > will this result in PEACE ?
> >
> > Wake Up !!!!
> >
> > Aditya Raj Kaul
> >
> >
> >
> > On 10/12/08, Javed <javedmasoo at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> Dear Aditya
> >> I would simply like to ask you one question (since you consider
> >> Praveen Swamy as a great journalist and renowned expert of security
> >> and all):
> >>
> >> The police is not allowing any one (and I mean ANYONE) to meet the
> >> accused boys arrested from Batla House - they did not allow the
> >> lawyer, nor the relatives of the accused until the Delhi high court
> >> gave a judgment that they should be allowed to meet for one hour. Then
> >> the relatives and the lawyer Prashant Bhushan could meet only once for
> >> a few minutes. The police also did not allow any journalist or TV crew
> >> to enter the L-18 flat until now. In such a situation, how can
> >> somebody like Praveen Swamy (or Mihir Srivastava of India Today, who
> >> promptly took a cover-story interview) have such a deep access to the
> >> secrets of Special Cell? Did they find all this out by some
> >> sting-operation? Or are they above law? Or are they the mouthpieces of
> >> the Police? Or are they copywriting all these stories and feeding to
> >> the state?
> >>
> >> The 3 accused were presented to the media with their faces hidden in
> >> Arab scarves. They were presented to the court (for extension of
> >> remand) with muffled faces. But their faces were exhibited openly for
> >> INDIA TODAY cover story! Wow, is this country being run by Prabhu
> >> Chawla?
> >>
> >> Give us a break Mr. Praveen Swami and Prabhu Chawla. Or at least show
> >> us the "Mind of the Terror" from Orissa and Bangalore too, if you are
> >> the upholders of unbiased journalism.
> >>
> >>
> >> J
> >>
> >>
> >> On Fri, Oct 10, 2008 at 9:47 AM, Aditya Raj Kaul
> >> <kauladityaraj at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> > An interesting piece by one of the most renowned expert on internal
> >> security
> >> > and terrorism, Praveen Swami. It highlights the major areas which have
> >> been
> >> > missed by those campaigning hard to convert this encounter or at least
> >> > portray it as fake one. Hope they plan a better theory or else revise
> >> their
> >> > 'Wonderland' stories. Have a look at 'The Hindu' column below which
> came
> >> out
> >> > in today's newspaper.
> >> >
> >> > Love
> >> > Aditya Raj Kaul
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > *Behind the Batla House shootout
> >> > * Praveen Swami *
> >> >
> >> > Charges that the Jamia Nagar encounter was fake belong in the
> Wonderland.
> >> >
> >> > *
> >> >
> >> > "Sometimes," said the Queen in Lewis Carroll's *Alice in Wonderland*,
> >> "I've
> >> > believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
> >> >
> >> > Ever since last month's encounter in New Delhi's Jamia Nagar, critics
> >> have
> >> > been claiming that the two men killed by the police were innocent
> >> students,
> >> > not Indian Mujahideen terrorists. A number of well-meaning
> commentators
> >> and
> >> > politicians have expressed concern over the encounter. Few seem to
> have
> >> > paused to wonder if there was, in fact, anything mysterious about the
> >> > shootout. If it was indeed fake, the story would read something like
> >> this:
> >> > Hoping to redeem their anti-terrorism credentials and whip up
> anti-Muslim
> >> > paranoia, the Delhi police shot dead two innocent Muslims. For some
> >> reason,
> >> > though, they left a third innocent Muslim, Mohammad Saif, alive to
> tell
> >> the
> >> > tale. Either because of incompetence or to get rid of an inconvenient
> >> honest
> >> > officer, depending on who is telling the story — the Delhi police also
> >> > killed one of their own. They also shot another officer, but let him
> >> live.
> >> >
> >> > A riveting fiction? The truth about Batla House is, in comparison,
> >> mundane.
> >> >
> >> > When inspector Mohan Chand Sharma walked through the door of the flat
> >> where
> >> > he was to die, all he knew was that he was looking for a man with two
> >> > missing front teeth. Soon after the Gujarat bombings, a Bharuch
> resident
> >> > contacted the police to report that the vehicles used as car bombs in
> >> > Ahmedabad had been parked by his tenant. Gujarat Crime Branch Deputy
> >> > Commissioner Abhay Chudasma had little to go on, bar one small clue:
> the
> >> > mobile phone used by the tenant to communicate with the landlord. It
> >> turned
> >> > out that the phone went silent after the Ahmedabad bombings.
> >> >
> >> > Based on the interrogation of suspects, Gujarat police investigators
> >> > determined that the cell phone was one of the five used by the
> >> perpetrators
> >> > between July 7 and 26 — the day of the serial bombings. They learned
> that
> >> > the perpetrators had observed rigorous communication security
> procedures,
> >> > calling these numbers only from public telephones. Between July 16 and
> >> July
> >> > 22, the investigators learned, another of the five Gujarat phones had
> >> been
> >> > used in the Jamia Nagar area. This phone had received just five calls,
> >> all
> >> > from public phones at Jamia Nagar. Then, on July 24, the phone became
> >> active
> >> > again in Ahmedabad.
> >> >
> >> > The investigators also found evidence of a second link between the
> >> Ahmedabad
> >> > bombings and the Jamia Nagar area. On July 19, the Bharuch cell phone
> >> > received a call from Mumbai, made from an eastern Uttar Pradesh number
> —
> >> the
> >> > sole break in the communication-security procedure. Immediately after
> >> this,
> >> > a call was made from the eastern U.P. phone to a number at Jamia
> Nagar,
> >> > registered to local resident Mohammad Atif Amin. The authorities
> mounted
> >> a
> >> > discreet watch on his phone but decided not to question him in the
> hope
> >> that
> >> > he would again be contacted by the perpetrators.
> >> >
> >> > Mumbai police crime branch chief Rakesh Maria made the next
> breakthrough
> >> > last month, when his investigators held Afzal Usmani, a long-standing
> >> > lieutenant of ganglord-turned-jihadist Riyaz Bhatkal. From Usmani, the
> >> > investigators learned that top commander 'Bashir' and his assault
> squad
> >> left
> >> > Ahmedabad on July 26 for a safe house at Jamia Nagar. Armed with this
> >> > information, the investigators came to believe that Atif Amin either
> >> > provided Bashir shelter or the two were one and the same person.
> >> Inspector
> >> > Sharma was asked to settle the issue.
> >> >  'Vodaphone salesman'
> >> >
> >> > Sub-inspector Dharmindar Kumar was given the unhappy task of trudging
> up
> >> the
> >> > stairs in the sweltering heat, searching for Bashir. Dressed in a tie
> and
> >> > shirt, just like other members of Sharma's team, Kumar pretended to be
> a
> >> > salesman for Vodaphone. At the door of Amin's flat, he heard noises —
> and
> >> > called his boss.
> >> >
> >> > According to head constable Balwant Rana, who was by Sharma's side,
> the
> >> two
> >> > men knocked on the front door, identifying themselves as police
> officers.
> >> > There was no response. Then, the officers walked down an 'L' shaped
> >> corridor
> >> > which led to a second door. This door was unlocked. Sharma and Rana,
> as
> >> they
> >> > entered, were fired upon from the front of and to the right of the
> door.
> >> > When the rest of the special team, armed only with small arms, went in
> to
> >> > support Sharma and Rana, two terrorists ran out through the
> now-unguarded
> >> > front door. Saif wisely locked himself up in a toilet.
> >> >
> >> > It takes little to see that Sharma's team made several tactical
> errors.
> >> > However, as anyone who has actually faced hostile fire will testify,
> >> combat
> >> > tends not to be orderly. In the United States or Europe, a Batla
> >> House-style
> >> > operation would have been carried out by a highly trained assault unit
> >> > equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment. Given their
> >> resources
> >> > and training, Sharma and his men did as well as could be expected.
> >> >
> >> > Judging by Sharma's injuries, as recorded by doctors at the Holy
> Family
> >> > Hospital in New Friend's Colony and later re-examined at the All-India
> >> > Institute of Medical Sciences' Trauma Centre, he was fired at from two
> >> > directions. One bullet hit him in the left shoulder and exited through
> >> the
> >> > left upper arm; the other hit the right side of the abdomen, exiting
> >> through
> >> > the hip. The investigators believe that the abdomen wound was
> inflicted
> >> with
> >> > Amin's weapon and the shoulder hit, by Mohammad Sajid.
> >> >
> >> > Much has been made of a newspaper photograph which shows that Sharma's
> >> shirt
> >> > was not covered in blood, with some charging that it demonstrates he
> was
> >> > shot in the back. Forensic experts, however, note that bleeding from
> >> > firearms injuries takes place through exit wounds — not, as in bad pop
> >> > films, at the point of entry. In the photograph, signs of a bullet
> having
> >> > ripped through Sharma's shirt are evident on his visible shoulder; so,
> >> too,
> >> > is evidence of the profuse bleeding from the back.
> >> >
> >> > In some sense, the allegations levelled over the encounter tell us
> more
> >> > about the critics than the event itself. In part, the allegations have
> >> been
> >> > driven by poor reporting and confusion — the product, more often than
> >> not,
> >> > by journalists who have not followed the Indian Mujahideen story. More
> >> > important, though, the controversy was driven by the Muslim religious
> >> > right-wing whose myth-making, as politician Arif Mohammad Khan
> recently
> >> > pointed out, has passed largely unchallenged.
> >> >
> >> > In a recent article, the University of Delaware's Director of Islamic
> >> > Studies, Muqtedar Khan, lashed out at the "intellectually dishonest"
> >> > representatives of Muslims who "live in denial." "They first deny that
> >> there
> >> > is such a thing as jihadi terrorism," Dr. Khan noted, "resorting to
> >> > conspiracy theories blaming every act of jihadi violence either on
> >> Israel,
> >> > the U.S. or India. Then they argue that unjust wars by these three
> >> nations
> >> > [in Palestine, Iraq and Kashmir] are the primary cause for jihadi
> >> violence;
> >> > a phenomenon whose very existence they have already denied."
> >> >
> >> > It is easy to rip apart the pseudo-facts that drove the claim that the
> >> Jamia
> >> > Nagar encounter was fake — or that the Indian Mujahideen is a fiction.
> >> Much
> >> > political work, though, is needed to drain the swamps of denial and
> >> deceit
> >> > in which the lies have bred.
> >> >
> >> > *Link - http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/10/stories/2008101053621100.htm
> >>
> >> > *
> >> > _________________________________________
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> >>
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