The Honeybee Conspiracy

Part 11

Chapter 9

Inspite of a high security alert across the country, a series of car bombs exploded at the Chathrapathi Sivaji Terminus in Mumbai killing 67 and injuring close to 130. The PM called for a cabinet meeting and summoned all the DGP's from the states apart from the top brass of the Intelligence agencies.

Present among them was the head of the elite unit within RAW entrusted to contain terrorism aimed at India called the Anti Terror Wing or ATW. This unit was considered the most powerful within the country and they reported to only the President of India. They had superflowing powers to detain, arrest, interrogate, search, sieze and kill if necessary. The head of this unit was John Kuruvilla, age forty eight, a veteran soldier and a seasoned spy who served in many conflict regions around the world, had friends and foes in most of the Intelligence agencies across the globe. Standing at 6ft, he was tall and well built, broad shoulders and fair, with a salt and pepper french beard and moustache with an equal looking crop of well groomed hair. Even at forty eight, he was handsome and ladies would give him the the second look inspite of their husbands by their side. Born in to a wealthy kerala christain family, his father the late Jacob Kuruvilla owned one of the largest coffee and spices plantations in Kottayam. After his graduation, he went on to do his IFS and was the first in his batch. He was subsequently recruited by RAW a few months later and thus started his career. Hailing from a family of planters from South Kerala, boldness and toughness were in his blood. He cared a damn about the politicians and never hid it from who ever was sitting in the Prime Minister's chair.

When the meeting was over, John was the first to exit. Scores of such meetings would never result in any concrete action to tackle terrorists and their sponsors.