CHENNAI: Things haven’t been the same after 26/11. The attack has managed to instill fear in the minds of all Indians. We are now aware that terror may strike anywhere and at anytime, be it Ranganathan Street or Chennai Central. But do we know what to do when terror strikes? At a discussion organised recently by the Duchess Club, Savera and FLO (Chennai Chapter), Dr Geeta Madhavan answered this and many other questions. One of the first women in the country to have done her Ph.D in law on International Terrorism, Geeta is also a practising advocate in the Madras High Court. “It’s a sad fact that we learn to live with terror. There are some people who go to the extent of saying that, as you cannot define a terrorist, you cannot deal with the issue. I say to them, you cannot define love but that doesn’t stop you from falling in love,” she said.
So what exactly must one do during a terror attack? “First, accept that it can happen anywhere and at anytime. Also, when there are routine security checks, co-operate and stop cribbing about it. In the case of an attack, do not play hero. At any point, do not draw attention to yourself.
You will only be jeopardising your life,” she said and added: “When you enter any place, check where the exits are and most essentially, fight off the panic that besieges you.” She also said that such practical training must begin at the school level. “How many schools in India have regular fire drills?” questioned Geeta. Also, there have been many cases of students making hoax bomb calls. It is the duty of the parents to inculcate the importance of such issues in their children, she stressed.
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