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Wife of DRDO scientist murdered in quarters

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Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Mar 11, 2014, 02.00 AM IST
Rajabala was alone at home in heavily-guarded premises

The wife of a scientist with the Defence Research and Organisation Development (DRDO) was found murdered in her residence in the heavily-guarded DRDO quarters in Byappanahalli on Monday. Police say Rajani Rajabala, 49, the wife of A Packia Dhas, scientist ‘D’ with the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO, was killed between 11 am and 11.30 am on Monday.

The incident came to light when neighbours found the victim lying in a pool of blood. Her throat has been slit and she had also suffered stab injuries to the neck, police said.

Rajabala was staying on the third floor of an apartment in ‘F’ wing in Block No. 22 of the DRDO quarters. She was alone at home. Her husband had gone for work and daughter, a first year engineering student, had left for college. The family is from Kanyakumari, but have been staying in the city for the last six years. Her son studies engineering in Chennai.

Police found no evidence of forced entry and suspect the killer fled by jumping from one of the floors to the ground. Salva Kumari, a resident of the ground floor of the same building, told police that at around the time of the crime, she heard the sound of something falling from a top floor and had rushed out. She found an unidentified man sitting on the ground near the building. The man later got up and walked away.

Along with Karthika Devi, another neighbour, Kumari climbed to the top to find out what had fallen. The door to Rajabala’s apartment was open and they entered to find their neighbour lying in a pool of blood. Byappanahalli police, who are investigating the crime, say the killer may have taken something from the house.

“Dhas and his daughter are still in shock and did not speak to us,” said K V Sharat Chandra, joint commissioner of police (East, law and order). “Once we speak to them and find out what’s missing, we will know if it was murder for gain or for personal rivalry. There is huge security for the quarters, but security staffs don’t do much checking in the morning. It is only after 8 pm when security is tight. There were no CCTV cameras installed.”

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Scientist’s wife murdered in DRDO quarters

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TNN | Mar 11, 2014, 03.53AM IST
BANGALORE: The wife of a scientist with Aeronautical Development Authority (ADE) was stabbed to death inside her house on Monday morning.

The body of Rajini Rajamala, 42, lying in a pool of blood, was spotted by her neighbour just after 11am at the Defence Research and Development Authority (DRDO) residential quarters in CV Raman Nagar, off Old Madras Road.

A man who had come to house number 22/12, on the third floor of house complex number 4, inside the residential quarters, is suspected to have killed her.
Two stab marks were found on her neck. The neighbour, whose identity was kept a secret by police, is a resident of the second floor of the same building. She told police that on hearing a noise, she peeped out of her balcony to see what was going on. She saw a man landing on the ground, and suspected that he had jumped from the third floor of the building.

Surprised, she went up to the third floor, and found Rajini dead.

By the time she returned, the man had vanished. She immediately cried for help and informed police. The murder is suspected have taken place between 10am and 11am.

Her husband Packya Das, a grade D scientist, left for work around 9.30am. One of the neighbours called Das, who was at work, informing him about the murder a few minutes after 11am, police said. The couple’s children, a son and daughter, were at school at the time.

Kamal Pant, additional commissioner of police, law and order, who visited the spot said no valuables were missing from the house. Also, there were no signs of a forced entry.

Joint commissioner of police, law and order (East), KV Sharat Chandra, who is monitoring four special teams formed to investigate the case, said police have a few clues. “All I can say at this point is that the attacker left something behind,” he said.

DID ASSAILANT JUMP FROM THIRD FLOOR?

That the alleged killed jumped from the third floor has left everyone shocked. Joint commissioner Sharat Chandra said: “We’re as surprised that a man jumped from the third floor and survived. However, in her statement, the neighbour said she only saw him land on the ground and suspected that he had jumped from the third floor.”

Sources said the attacker was injured after jumping from the building and there were some spots of blood where he landed. The investigating teams are looking at CCTV camera footage in and around the complex to look for suspicious persons.

FREE ENTRY

“The quarters have a thoroughfare running through, allowing free entry of private vehicles. So there’s no way to maintain a log of visitors. The public road has a bus stand and BMTC buses ply here. However, we keep a record of private vehicles entering the area at night,” DRDO spokesperson.

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Deccan Herald | A costly intelligence asset of no use now

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Deccan Herald

A costly intelligence asset of no use now

Chandan Nandy, Bangalore, Mar 21, 2012, DHNS:

Rs 30-cr project scrapped after technical panel found flaws in encryption system

The use of Chinese processors in an encryption system for ground mobile satellite communication terminals for use by the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) was considered a breach of security for which the project was scrapped on the directions of the National Security Council (NSC).

Following strong objections by the NSC, the “Sampark” network was shot down and is not being used by the NTRO, leading to the loss of Rs 30 crore (including capital and recurring expenditure) that was spent on purchasing the asset.

The wasteful expenditure incurred as a result of non-use of the system has come under the scanner of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) which is learnt to have classified it as among several other “suspect” NTRO acquisitions and procurements between 2007 and 2010. The CAG undertook a massive special audit of the NTRO after the head of the communications intelligence organisation blew with the whistle on several questionable procurements and other irregularities.

The audit findings have been submitted to the Supreme Court in a sealed envelope.

In late 2009, the NSC was apprised by the Scientific Analysis Group (SAG) within the Defence Research and Development Organisation that several ground mobile SATCOM terminals, which the NTRO had procured from the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for positioning in various parts of the country for communication “during operations”, contained Chinese processors.

The sensitive issue came to the notice of the NSC when the Indian Air Force, which procured the same encryption system from BEL the same year, sought to have it cleared by the SAG. On further examination, it was found by SAG scientists that the encryption system contained Chinese processors which, it was suspected, could potentially compromise all special operations within the country.

An encryption system is an essential feature in SATCOM terminals as they help in protecting transmission of and securing sensitive communication which could otherwise be intercepted. The NTRO procured “bulk encryption systems” in early 2009 as part of a project that was called “Sampark”.

According to sources in the country’s security establishment, senior NTRO officials procured the systems, worth Rs 30 crore, without taking due clearance from the SAG which is the government’s sole certifying authority for such hi-tech and sensitive equipment which the security agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau, use for operations.

The encryption system was used by the NTRO for at least six months during which time intelligence information was transmitted without clearance from the authorities concerned.