Lighting Memory's Short Fuse

The sense of foreboding in the city is palpable. The police and the fire brigade have been plagued by hoax calls about bomb threats in different parts of the city. Bus conductors have been asked to frisk suspicious-looking passengers and check their baggage. What adds to the panic is the presence of NSG commandos in the city.

For many residents there was a sense of deja vu. It was in December 10 years ago that riots broke out in the city following the Babri Masjid demolition. The city saw bloodletting for well over a month, followed later by the serial blasts.

While the terrorists have not been identified, the police suspect the hand of the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Their only word of comfort was: the bomb in the bus may have claimed more victims had it gone off a few minutes before when it was packed with passengers.Priyanka Kakodkar