Is India Safe for IT?

The prosperity index of India IT Inc is no doubt growing
steeply; but at the same time, the different stake holders of this growing IT
industry are increasingly plagued by a myriad of security concerns. With the
couple of incidents of rape and murder involving Bangalore BPO personnel still
fresh in mind, comes the shocking incident of the kidnapping of the three year
old son of Naresh Gupta, head of Adobe's India operations, just outside his
home in Noida. The sayings of ancient men of wisdom that more money begets more
trouble seem to perfectly apply to the Indian IT industry, albeit in a
convoluted fashion.

However, as laissez faire determines that it would not be
possible for the industry to go slow in its pursuits for money, it becomes
imperative to try and fill up the security lacunae. The kidnapping of Gupta's
son has indeed brought to the fore the issue of whether Indian cities are safe,
especially for IT industry personnel, who would easily account for a majority of
the growing Indian urban rich. While Bangalore's infamy has already been
highlighted, the gruesome killings by cabbies in Gurgaon, India's BPO hub, in
the last few months have raised the question of safety of Indian cities,
especially the sprawling NCR region.

PLEA FOR RESTRAIN: Naresh Gupta has urged the media not to hype up the incident saying it might endanger his son's life

In light of these nefarious activities, it would perhaps be not
out of place to delve deeper into the Noida kidnapping case. According to police
sources, Anant, son of Naresh Gupta, managing director, Adobe India was on his
way to school (he is a pre-nursery student of Lotus Valley, a Noida-based
school) when two youths on a motorcycle abducted him from outside his residence
in the posh Sector 15 in Noida, at around 8:50 am. Anant was waiting for his
school bus and the domestic help accompanying him was unable to prevent the
kidnapping. According to the police, the abductors were wearing helmets and had
hidden the number plate of the motorcycle by pasting stickers on it.

Gupta, who was in the US has subsequently returned to India and
is reported to have received ransom call for Rs 2 crore from the kidnappers.
However, till the time of going to press, the police are no closer to rescuing
the child or tracing the identities or whereabouts of the kidnappers. The Uttar
Pradesh Special Task Force, in conjunction with the Delhi Police and the local
police, are investigating the kidnapping. Police suspect the kidnappers may have
worked for the family earlier or were known to those working at the Gupta home.

This Noida incident coming in the wake of the arrests in Gurgaon,
where a number of gruesome murders were committed, even for petty sums, have
sent a shock wave through the IT and BPO industry. There is now a serious
question mark over the law and order scenario in the entire NCR. The head of a
Gurgaon-based BPO organization remarked, on the condition of anonymity,
"This could have a serious impact in terms of overseas companies coming to
India, since lawlessness in the capital gives a bad press, especially in the
foreign media."

However, another BPO head based in Noida, though condemning the
recent events and agreeing that the perpetrators should be suitably punished,
felt that there is no need to press the panic button immediately. "Talks
about this stalling foreign companies from coming to India are ridiculous, since
cities like Johannesburg, Manila or Shanghai that compete with Indian cities are
also prone to crimes. Even New York, LA or London are not really crime
free."

The IT industry has in the past received threats from
terrorists, and this has seen IT companies and other establishments taking
increased security measures. That might seem to the best possible answer; the
government definitely needs to do its bit about the law and order situation, but
the industry needs to take care of itself in the long run.

Team DQ

maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in