Just 4 cops guard Chabad house

MiD DAY investigations reveal that, contrary to government claims, there were only four constables guarding Chabad house and none at other sensitive spots like Osho Commune and Taj Hotel

MiD DAY investigations reveal that, contrary to government claims, there were only four constables guarding Chabad house and none at other sensitive spots like Osho Commune and Taj Hotel

MiD DAY investigations revealed the lie behind the government's claim, just 12 hours after the German Bakery blast, that adequate security had been provided to Chabad house, which is considered vulnerable to terrorist attacks. "We had strong intelligence inputs that Chabad House could be targeted. Therefore, we provided adequate security to the place. Had we been given similar warnings about other spots like the Osho commune, we would have provided security to these spots as well," Home Minister RR Patil had said after the blast.

Shift chart
MiD DAY discovered that 12 constables had been guarding the Chabad house in three shifts with four constables armed with SLR rifles in each shift.

The house was only visited by an assistant police inspector or a police inspector when a VIP came visiting. Interestingly, not a single policemen was deputed to guard four important establishments other than Chabad house like German bakery, Osho Commune, Taj hotel and Surya hotel (in which David Headley took shelter).

"Four constables have been guarding Chabad House since October. When we heard the loud thud, two of us rushed to the blast site to help the victims. The other two stayed back to guard Chabad House," said a constable at the spot who did not want to be named.

Undeterred
Meanwhile, Rabbi Betzalle El (Kupchik) at the Chabad house said he was undeterred by the blast.
"After I heard the loud noise, I understood that a blast had occurred. The policemen guarding Chabad house informed the control room. A short while later another constable was sent to guard the Chabad house," said the rabbi. A commuter, Ashok Kumar (34), who was at the Osho commune at the time of the blast, said, "People were running in different directions after the blast. I was among them, and I did not see any policemen on the spot till five minutes after the blast."

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