May GOD save the city and us
0 Comments Published by Apocalyptus on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 at 10:23 AM.
Mugging, theft at knife-point, assault. All in the space of a month in the heart of town. What's happening to Bangalore?
Yes, this is going to be yet another post on our own Bangalore, and unfortunately, it's not going to be one to be going ga ga about.
This, coming across articles like this while going through any leading daily, is not a rare phenomenon any more.
A city that was famous for its public-safety-system and more famous for its outstanding night-life once upon a time has gradually turned into one where the inhabitants feel staying outside for whatsoever reason after 8:30-9:00 at night is not really worth taking the risk it may involve.
The crime rate in Bangalore till a couple of years back was very low. But it has started to rise alarmingly. At any place on earth (not only Bangalore or any other Indian city) crime usually originates from the grass-root level of the society , i.e , the lower and lower-middle classes and is the result of more need than greed due to social and financial insecurity. No exception here.
First only the Software Engineers, who were and still are believed to be coming from outside and taking away all the money and thus deprieving the children of the local lower and middle class, were the first victims of these people.
Then the range of targets got extended up to 'outsiders' working in any field, not only in IT and finally the motto of these people have become 'NOBODY WILL BE SPARED'.
What is worse is nowadays not only non-localites but also the localite Kannadigas are being targetted.
Policemen, if approached, usually advise the victims to be more alert and try to prove that these incidents are happening only because of the sheer callousness and carelessness of people (My first-hand experience when I went to lodge a complaint in a Police Station after my cell phone was snatched in the broad daylight : The officer-in-charge had told me the only reason of crime rates going up in Bangalore was IT-people not realizing the value of money and carelessly handling their money and valuable possessions and the cops couldn't really help much unless the IT-guys became more alert).
The TOI correspondent writes :
July 12 : At 9pm, a 17-yearold student had returned a DVD to a store on Church Street and walked to Museum Road to catch an auto. He was accosted by two young men who accused him of being a part of a rowdy gang. He handed over his phone to them to 'make a call' to verify their claims. They disappeared with his phone.
What is a common man to do in order to defend himself under these circumstances?
And, here is the take on this issue by the Who's Who of Bangalore:
Nisha Millet, former swim champion
Ten years ago, Bangalore was not like this. The police must shift focus from shutting down nightclubs and concentrate on law and order. When I'd go for swimming practice at 5am, I'd never see a single cop around. Even in a car, you don't feel safe. I've learnt to be street-smart and now, even when I take an auto during the day, I keep my cell phone in my hand. Bangalore is losing confidence in its police. Plus, the ratio of cops to people is low.
Rohit Barker, RJ
If we can't take a walk down the street, then we're jailed in our own city. Bangalore is exploding and like any other metro, there will be crime. When you look for help, is there ever a cop? The onus is on the police to keep citizens safe. When I return late after my radio show, I don't see any signs of police presence. They keep harping that they're understaffed. Where is the tax money going? Bangaloreans need to say they can't take excuses anymore.
Jaya Javeri, artist
What's happening is scaring me. I'm concerned even if I'm out for a late-night movie. I think twice about going out on my own.
Rubi Chakravarti, actor There's a fear psychosis in the city now. Today I'm afraid to walk out, even at 8pm, to catch an auto. Is a Hoysala full of policemen required to shut down a pub or nightclub at 11.30 pm? Fine, do it then, as long as there's also a whole Hoysala full of policemen preventing people down the road being mugged.
The cops are busy collecting fine (most of the times without any receipt of acknowledgement) from people who haven't parked their vehicle at the proper place or may be have jumped the red-light by a fraction of a second. They are more keen on raiding the pubs, bars and discs in order to make sure anything that remains open till late night is fined.
Can't they first try to solve the problems which are harming common people and which may not smell of money but are far more serious and grave than either Parking issues or serving-of-alcohol-at-night issues?
Yes, this is going to be yet another post on our own Bangalore, and unfortunately, it's not going to be one to be going ga ga about.
This, coming across articles like this while going through any leading daily, is not a rare phenomenon any more.
A city that was famous for its public-safety-system and more famous for its outstanding night-life once upon a time has gradually turned into one where the inhabitants feel staying outside for whatsoever reason after 8:30-9:00 at night is not really worth taking the risk it may involve.
The crime rate in Bangalore till a couple of years back was very low. But it has started to rise alarmingly. At any place on earth (not only Bangalore or any other Indian city) crime usually originates from the grass-root level of the society , i.e , the lower and lower-middle classes and is the result of more need than greed due to social and financial insecurity. No exception here.
First only the Software Engineers, who were and still are believed to be coming from outside and taking away all the money and thus deprieving the children of the local lower and middle class, were the first victims of these people.
Then the range of targets got extended up to 'outsiders' working in any field, not only in IT and finally the motto of these people have become 'NOBODY WILL BE SPARED'.
What is worse is nowadays not only non-localites but also the localite Kannadigas are being targetted.
Policemen, if approached, usually advise the victims to be more alert and try to prove that these incidents are happening only because of the sheer callousness and carelessness of people (My first-hand experience when I went to lodge a complaint in a Police Station after my cell phone was snatched in the broad daylight : The officer-in-charge had told me the only reason of crime rates going up in Bangalore was IT-people not realizing the value of money and carelessly handling their money and valuable possessions and the cops couldn't really help much unless the IT-guys became more alert).
The TOI correspondent writes :
July 12 : At 9pm, a 17-yearold student had returned a DVD to a store on Church Street and walked to Museum Road to catch an auto. He was accosted by two young men who accused him of being a part of a rowdy gang. He handed over his phone to them to 'make a call' to verify their claims. They disappeared with his phone.
What is a common man to do in order to defend himself under these circumstances?
And, here is the take on this issue by the Who's Who of Bangalore:
Nisha Millet, former swim champion
Ten years ago, Bangalore was not like this. The police must shift focus from shutting down nightclubs and concentrate on law and order. When I'd go for swimming practice at 5am, I'd never see a single cop around. Even in a car, you don't feel safe. I've learnt to be street-smart and now, even when I take an auto during the day, I keep my cell phone in my hand. Bangalore is losing confidence in its police. Plus, the ratio of cops to people is low.
Rohit Barker, RJ
If we can't take a walk down the street, then we're jailed in our own city. Bangalore is exploding and like any other metro, there will be crime. When you look for help, is there ever a cop? The onus is on the police to keep citizens safe. When I return late after my radio show, I don't see any signs of police presence. They keep harping that they're understaffed. Where is the tax money going? Bangaloreans need to say they can't take excuses anymore.
Jaya Javeri, artist
What's happening is scaring me. I'm concerned even if I'm out for a late-night movie. I think twice about going out on my own.
Rubi Chakravarti, actor There's a fear psychosis in the city now. Today I'm afraid to walk out, even at 8pm, to catch an auto. Is a Hoysala full of policemen required to shut down a pub or nightclub at 11.30 pm? Fine, do it then, as long as there's also a whole Hoysala full of policemen preventing people down the road being mugged.
The cops are busy collecting fine (most of the times without any receipt of acknowledgement) from people who haven't parked their vehicle at the proper place or may be have jumped the red-light by a fraction of a second. They are more keen on raiding the pubs, bars and discs in order to make sure anything that remains open till late night is fined.
Can't they first try to solve the problems which are harming common people and which may not smell of money but are far more serious and grave than either Parking issues or serving-of-alcohol-at-night issues?
Labels: Bangalore, Fun, serious, South India
Is this the same Bangalore we used to love?
2 Comments Published by Apocalyptus on Friday, July 14, 2006 at 12:39 PM.
I love Bangalore. Like thousands of others I just love this city. No, I am not a Bangalorean by birth. Nor did I do my schooling here. Still I love this city. Well..I used to LOVE Bangalore before, and now I just love it.
Why?
Because, Bangalore wasn't like this before.
Nor was it like this.
The TOI correspondent writes :
'A 30-year-old photographer had to stop near on Hesaraghatta Main Road at 11 pm because his scooter ran out of petrol. As he was refuelling, three policemen allegedly asked for his papers. He was then frisked and whatever money he had on him was taken. He was assaulted and taken to the Vidyaranyapura Police Station. There, another police officer kicked him in the head and the photographer was injured to the extent that he needed two stitches. He was taken home by the police at around 12.30 am.'
In one of my earlier posts, when I had criticized the Bangalore Police, I got quite a mouthfull from many Bangaloreans. Unfortunately, I have removed that entire post from my blog to avoid any further abuse by Kannadigas and therefore won't be able to provide a link to it. Later, even the portion about Bangalore cops in this post got a couple of strong reactions. Aren't the cops expected to protect citizens instead of looting and abusing them?
Since I wasn't born and raised here, the localites visiting my blog think I find nothing right about the city and I hate it. Let me tell all of you that it is completely UNTRUE. Because I love this city so much I think and I believe I have the right to express my concern and disgust about the shortcomings it has. More so because there is hardly any intiative taken to improve matters. Ever since Mr H.D.Kumaraswamy has taken over as the CM of Karnataka, the road-repair-work has become amazingly faster and things have started improving drastically. But the heavy traffic conjestion is still there and so is rash-driving. With time, may be another 5-6 years down the line the metro rail will be functional and all major roads will become broader much to the delight of the commuters. But rash-driving can not be done away with only CM's initiatives. People and mainly the Traffic Police have to be more active to handle that. In many places, where a traffic signal is required (for example,The 'T' junction near MEG Military Gate on Kensington Road, Kallahalli, Ulsoor ), there is nothing. Not even a couple of speed-breakers which at least can force the drivers/riders to slow down a bit and use their brakes. If it isn't encouraging rash driving, then what is? And, in places where not much traffic is there we get to see red-lights with a stoppage time for 200 or more seconds leading to unnecessary conjestion and rash driving. This is POOR traffic management.And this is getting worse everyday.
For how long is this going to go on? Are we forever going to sit, watch and let it be like this? Is that really all we can do?
For how long the bangalore traffic Police will remain inactive , harass common people and make headlines for all wrong reasons?
Labels: Bangalore, Fun, serious, South India
Great!!!
Finally Al Qaeda has arrived in India physically.
So far they had been carrying out their operations by outsourcing jobs to lesser known local vendors like Lashkar-E-Toiba , SIMI and Jaish-E-Mohammed.
As a matter of fact they were one of the very first organizations to have outsourced some of their work to Indians.
Now they have decided to take charge on their own.
What remains to be seen is how the physical presence of Al Qaeda is going to affect India and Indians.
After one IT (Information Technology) boom it’s going to be another IT (Indian Terrorism) boom for sure.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed to see how and from where they start off.
Many of us can very appropriately conclude that our days are numbered unless of course, the embryo of Al Qaeda India is destroyed before the birth.
Labels: Fun, Miscellaneous, serious
Heading his way - in the wrong direction.
0 Comments Published by Apocalyptus on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 5:45 PM.
Different people, different rules
0 Comments Published by Apocalyptus on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 at 10:10 AM.
A couple of excerpts from newspapers :
ONE.
Sri Lanka smashes World record
Amstelveen: Sri Lanka erased the four-month-old World record of highest one-day total plundering 443 against the Netherlands here on Tuesday.....
....Veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya led the way with 157 off 104 balls, while Tillakaratne Dilshan flayed the bowling with an equally crazy 117 off 79 balls.
See source here.
TWO.
Jayasuriya, Tharanga tear up records
Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga produced the most spectacular opening partnership in one-day history to complete Sri Lanka's 5-0 series whitewash over England.
Set a formidable 322 to win the fifth one-day international at Headingley, the pair hit explosive centuries to put on 286 and make a nonsense of the target.
Sri Lanka cruised home by eight wickets with more than 12 overs to spare.
The Sri Lankan openers' extraordinary exhibition of clean, effortless hitting was a record opening stand in one-day internationals.
Jayasuriya, one day after his 37th birthday, ended with 152 off 99 balls, his 21st one-day international hundred and one of the great limited over innings.
See source here
This gentleman, Mr Sanath Jayasuriya, was totally written off by almost everyone in the world. His months of non-performance, injury-proneness and Sri Lanka's dismal performance not too long ago literally forced him to retire from international cricket but the selectors knew what he was capable of doing on his day and recalled him to the national team breaking a retirement at the age of 37. And see how he has reciprocated. He indeed has proved that age is not a barrier as long as you keep performing at the highest level. Jayasuriya coming back to form only months before the World Cup is an alarm for all other teams. His form and experience alone can get Sri Lanka the World Cup. It is the same Sri Lankan team that suffered a 6-1 thrashing by Indians in India not too long ago. In a span of six months they have transformed themselves in an utterly formidable unit. And Jayasuriya being recalled has a lot to do with it.
Couple of more excerpts:
ONE.
Ganguly slams 73, leads Northamptonshire to win over Worcestershire
London, July 4. (UNI): Sourav Ganguly's 51-ball blitzkrieg of 73 powered Northamptonshire to an 11-run victory at the home ground over Worcestershire in the Twenty20 Cup match.
The former India captain also grabbed a Worcestershire wicket with his gentle medium pace to cap a fruitful outing.
Northamptonshire overcame an early jitter and got off to a flier as Ganguly (73) and Rob White (66) came up with their personal best and put together a 105-run partnership.
Ganguly brought up his half-century and the 100 partnership in style when he launched Roger Sillence into the stands.
His 51-ball knock included four towering sixes, besides seven hits to the fence before he was run out....
See source here.
TWO.
Ganguly makes 44 as Northants win Twenty20 match
London, July. 2 (PTI): Sourav Ganguly was back among runs, making an unbeaten 44 for Northamptonshire who beat Worcestershire by nine wickets in a Twenty20 Cup match at New Road.
Chasing a paltry target of 87 in 20 overs, the former India captain, who opened the innings with Usman Afzaal, hit five fours in his 53-ball knock.
He added 68 for the unbroken second wicket stand with David Sales who remained unbeaten on 34. The visitors achieved the target in 16.3 overs.
Zaheer Khan, playing for Worcestershire, bowled three unsuccessful overs giving away 15 runs.
Earlier, the hosts elected to bat on winning the toss, but the decision backfired as the team was bowled out for 86 in 19.3 overs. Matthew Nicholson and Ben Philips reduced them to 18 for six and it was Zaheer Khan's top-score of 26 which helped the hosts reach the score they did.
Ganguly also chipped in with the wicket of Zimbabwean Ray Price in his spell of four overs which cost 21 runs.
See source here.
This fellow has a better ODI record than even the great Sanath Jayasuriya and is three years younger to him. When other teams are slowly but steadily picking up, Indians have started losing.
Right, we won the test series in the Windies but tests are a totally different ball game!
We beat weak, out-of-form Sri Lanka and injury-plagued England on home soil and out-of-sorts Pakistan in Pakistan. Then we lost 4-1 to the West Indies whom every test-playing nation has literally thrashed in the recent past. We don't lack in talent at all. We lack in experience. And if a player of Ganguly's calibre with a proven track-record has to sit out for months and the chairman of selectors declares he would never allow him to come back into the national team, there can be no worse case of injustice.
This is the same Sourav Ganguly who has single-handedly won us more matches than Rahul Dravid and even Sachin Tendulkar. Truth always sounds bitter. What say Mr Chairman of Bastards?
ONE.
Sri Lanka smashes World record
Amstelveen: Sri Lanka erased the four-month-old World record of highest one-day total plundering 443 against the Netherlands here on Tuesday.....
....Veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya led the way with 157 off 104 balls, while Tillakaratne Dilshan flayed the bowling with an equally crazy 117 off 79 balls.
See source here.
TWO.
Jayasuriya, Tharanga tear up records
Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga produced the most spectacular opening partnership in one-day history to complete Sri Lanka's 5-0 series whitewash over England.
Set a formidable 322 to win the fifth one-day international at Headingley, the pair hit explosive centuries to put on 286 and make a nonsense of the target.
Sri Lanka cruised home by eight wickets with more than 12 overs to spare.
The Sri Lankan openers' extraordinary exhibition of clean, effortless hitting was a record opening stand in one-day internationals.
Jayasuriya, one day after his 37th birthday, ended with 152 off 99 balls, his 21st one-day international hundred and one of the great limited over innings.
See source here
This gentleman, Mr Sanath Jayasuriya, was totally written off by almost everyone in the world. His months of non-performance, injury-proneness and Sri Lanka's dismal performance not too long ago literally forced him to retire from international cricket but the selectors knew what he was capable of doing on his day and recalled him to the national team breaking a retirement at the age of 37. And see how he has reciprocated. He indeed has proved that age is not a barrier as long as you keep performing at the highest level. Jayasuriya coming back to form only months before the World Cup is an alarm for all other teams. His form and experience alone can get Sri Lanka the World Cup. It is the same Sri Lankan team that suffered a 6-1 thrashing by Indians in India not too long ago. In a span of six months they have transformed themselves in an utterly formidable unit. And Jayasuriya being recalled has a lot to do with it.
Couple of more excerpts:
ONE.
Ganguly slams 73, leads Northamptonshire to win over Worcestershire
London, July 4. (UNI): Sourav Ganguly's 51-ball blitzkrieg of 73 powered Northamptonshire to an 11-run victory at the home ground over Worcestershire in the Twenty20 Cup match.
The former India captain also grabbed a Worcestershire wicket with his gentle medium pace to cap a fruitful outing.
Northamptonshire overcame an early jitter and got off to a flier as Ganguly (73) and Rob White (66) came up with their personal best and put together a 105-run partnership.
Ganguly brought up his half-century and the 100 partnership in style when he launched Roger Sillence into the stands.
His 51-ball knock included four towering sixes, besides seven hits to the fence before he was run out....
See source here.
TWO.
Ganguly makes 44 as Northants win Twenty20 match
London, July. 2 (PTI): Sourav Ganguly was back among runs, making an unbeaten 44 for Northamptonshire who beat Worcestershire by nine wickets in a Twenty20 Cup match at New Road.
Chasing a paltry target of 87 in 20 overs, the former India captain, who opened the innings with Usman Afzaal, hit five fours in his 53-ball knock.
He added 68 for the unbroken second wicket stand with David Sales who remained unbeaten on 34. The visitors achieved the target in 16.3 overs.
Zaheer Khan, playing for Worcestershire, bowled three unsuccessful overs giving away 15 runs.
Earlier, the hosts elected to bat on winning the toss, but the decision backfired as the team was bowled out for 86 in 19.3 overs. Matthew Nicholson and Ben Philips reduced them to 18 for six and it was Zaheer Khan's top-score of 26 which helped the hosts reach the score they did.
Ganguly also chipped in with the wicket of Zimbabwean Ray Price in his spell of four overs which cost 21 runs.
See source here.
This fellow has a better ODI record than even the great Sanath Jayasuriya and is three years younger to him. When other teams are slowly but steadily picking up, Indians have started losing.
Right, we won the test series in the Windies but tests are a totally different ball game!
We beat weak, out-of-form Sri Lanka and injury-plagued England on home soil and out-of-sorts Pakistan in Pakistan. Then we lost 4-1 to the West Indies whom every test-playing nation has literally thrashed in the recent past. We don't lack in talent at all. We lack in experience. And if a player of Ganguly's calibre with a proven track-record has to sit out for months and the chairman of selectors declares he would never allow him to come back into the national team, there can be no worse case of injustice.
This is the same Sourav Ganguly who has single-handedly won us more matches than Rahul Dravid and even Sachin Tendulkar. Truth always sounds bitter. What say Mr Chairman of Bastards?
