Tsundue’s unauthorised entry into the IISc campus brings to the fore laxity and complacency in the police department.
When the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabo came calling on Sunday, Tibetan activist Tenzin Tsundue managed to create ruckus in the VVIP security from atop the tower of the Administrative Block in Indian Institute of Science, despite 1,400 pairs of eyes on the look out.
For 1,400 were the number of Bangalore police personnel engaged in Wen Jiabo’s security.
Tsundue is learnt to have climbed to the top of the tower through a water pipe at the rear of the building.
As the security lapse is being probed, the story doing the rounds in the Police Department is that they themselves were directly responsible for facilitating Tsundue’s gameplan. For Tsundue whose organisation Friends of Tibet were denied permission by the police to stage a hunger strike or wave black flags during Mr Jaibo’s visit had reportedly vowed to ‘chase him [the Chinese premier] wherever he goes’.
He even held a record for having held a similar protest three years ago at Mumbai’s Oberoi hotel when the former Chinese premier was visiting.
A scholar and writer Tsundue is a resident of Dharmashala in Himachal Pradesh. As a voice against the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the resultant destruction of Tibetan life and tradition, he has always been in the forefront of agitations against China.
A senior IPS officer speaking on condition of anonymity noted that the Police Department was negligent about Tsundue’s past record.
Perhaps the the police could have saved themselves from this big a face loss if they had simple permitted Friends of Tibet to hold their protest, he said.
Over confidence did the police in is the perception now. It is also observed that two big entertainment events were scheduled to have been held in the City on Sunday evening. (‘Temptations’ featuring Shahrukh Khan and an Andhra Ugadi fest featuring Telugu cine star Chiranjeevi, which were both eventually cancelled due to heavy downpour.) It is observed now that many senior police officers had made plans for themselves and their family to make it to either of these events. Many police personnel were also deputed on duty for these events.
As per Blue Book rules on VVIP visits, police shall take control of the security of the building where the VVIP shall reside, a few days before his/her arrival.
The police did little in the case of IISc. The basic minimum check by dog squads was also not done to satisfaction, said a senior police officer.
Tsundue climb
Tsundue, who is demonstratedly passionate about the Tibetan cause scaled the 50 ft high tower with the help of a water pipe at the back of the building. He has reportedly told police that climbing the building with Tibetan flag, banners and pamphlets and all strapped on was difficult, but he scaled it, managed to remain there for many hours and succeeded in staging the protest.
Police suspect that Tsundue got into IISc around 11.30 pm by climbing over the compound wall. There must have been others who helped him get in, it too is being probed police said.
IISc is also found to have been negligent on security arrangements. About 45 securitymen man it overnight, yet Tsundue managed to get in unnoticed. Besides the rear of the Administrative Building through which he climbed up to the tower is ill-lit.
Whose head will roll? The suspension of an inspector and one or two persons above the level of the inspector is a foregone conclusion, said people in the Police Commissioner’s office.
