MADRAS: It was a skillfully designed device that killed former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbudur May 21: a broad belt made of denim cloth much like an abdominal belt used by patients with vertebral problems. Only instead of the three vertical ribs of steel that support the abdomen in the case of patients this belt was packed with explosives.
Senior police officials and forensic experts are convinced the belt was worn by a young woman possibly aged between 25 and 30 with the features of a Sri Lankan Tamil.
The device the meticulous planning and the perfect timing that went into the operation seem to have been the perfect recipe for a successful assassination bid But the most potent ingredients in the entire episode were the pathetic lapse in security the failure of the intelligence agencies and Rajiv Gandhi’s own disregard for security as he went out of the way to meet and talk to the people assembled at the venue of the election rally.
According to a senior intelligence official the security lapse was to put it midly appalling. The state police had taken the precaution of checking all the garlands and bouquets that were to be offered to Rajiv Gandhi. Inspector General of Police R.K.Raghavan who is on special election security duty at Sriperumbudur explained that he had personally checked all the garlands and bouquets. “We even put our hands inside the baskets containing flowers that had been placed near the dais he said
But the people who were to garland or offer bouquets to Rajiv were totally ignored If they had been searched the assassination bid could possibly have failed. Especially as there were a number of women constables at the venue who could have dealt with the physical checking of women.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 7, 1991
