WhenMikhail Kalashnikov invented the deadly AK-47 assault rifles, he never thoughtthat terrorists would use it -- across the globe. For the Russian inventor thisremains regret in life that it is being used by merchants-of-death. It may bethe same in the case of bicycles and those who improvised it. The Scotsman,Kirkpatrick Macmillan, who invented the first pedal-driven bicycle, would havenever imagined that in the 21st century, it would be the newspoke-of-terror.
Theserial bombing in Pune on August 1 evening, clearly shows that -- bicycles haveonce again been used.
Withthe increasing use of these two-wheeled simple machines, known as ‘BicycleBombs’, it has become a major concern for the investigating and intelligenceagencies. The terrorists are now virtually using everything “ right frompressure cookers --turned-bombs to bombs fitted on bicycles to further theircause. From car bombs to scooter bombs “ time is now seeing the increasing useof bicycle bombs.
Theexhaustive National Sample Survey (NSS) data shows that bicycle is the mostpopular mode of transport in India. One of the common factors in the blasts inVile Parle in Mumbai in 2003, the Jaipur chain blasts 2008 and the sequentialtriple blasts in Uttar Pradesh in 2007 had been bicycles.
Securityexperts and intelligence agency sources said the main reason for using bicycleis its availability and the level of anonymity.
“Itis easily available, you do not need license to drive it, you need not have toregister it “ and hence the level of anonymity of the user is very high,”sources said.
Secondlyif a bicycle is abandoned not much suspicion is aroused. “It is such a commonthing, that no one will suspect,” sources said and cited that in the March 12,1993 Mumbai serial blasts, the case was detected because of an abandoned vanand a bomb-laden scooter “ which led them to the family of mastermind TigerMemon.
Moreover,cycles can cause maximum damage. “If we keep some bombs with shrapnel, ballbearings and nails in a car or scooter, it may not do as much damage as a cyclewould. The body of the car or scooter would give one layer of resistance andthen it would blast out. On the other hand, if a similar bomb is concealed in aplastic packet and kept on the carrier or hung from the handle of the bicycle,it would cause more damage,” sources said and pointed out that shrapnel andball bearings would directly hit the abdomen, back and face of the victims,causing maximum damage. It can even cause permanent damage to people - even if theysurvive.
