Security Analysis - Bangalore Molestation Case

I was waiting for #BangaloreMassMolestation or such an event to happen. I have been studying the PCI's (Pre-Crime Indicators) since a long time now. Its just like how the seismologist waits for his prediction of an earthquake to happen. Not because he wants it to but because he is prepared and he knows it will happen. Because he has data.

Below are results of a 2 question poll I had done a few weeks back. My analysis of the recent molestation events in #Bengaluru are based on these results.

The Analysis

There are 2 types of elements in any crime. Pre Crime Elements and Post Crime Elements. Those who want to play the blame game and keep passing the buck and make TRP's out of it will always focus on #PostCrime elements, such as - Police, Law & Order, Courts, Government etc.Their primary focus is to punish the culprits and diffuse the focus from the actual issue.

Those who wish to seek solutions focus on #PreCrime elements, such as - Themselves & Criminals.

The fact that most people in this poll blamed the Post Crime elements shows very clearly that we are being lead by the media that is focusing more on gaining TRP's by showing you what happened and who is to blame rather than why it happened and how it could have been prevented. Their solutions are also far from practicality and those which cannot give immediate results.

When I saw the CCTV Footage that is doing rounds - I felt sad for that girl. She made mistakes one after the other. She panicked and nearly gave in to the molester and was pushed by him to his choice of direction. I felt she had so much of time and options to deter this crime. There were tools around her that she could have used to alarm people around her. She got out from an Auto, why not take the auto till her gate ? From what looks like from the CCTV footage, the guys had been following her for a while. By just using a little bit of a personal security awareness, she could have deterred this crime so very easily. 

However she could do NOTHING....only because she thought this wont happen to her and she never trained or prepared for such a situation. If women think it is the job of the police to protect them then they will continue to be molested and rapped. And I don't say this coz the Police is incompetent. I say this coz they are outnumbered by population. There are only 119 police for every 1,00,000 citizens. They are doing whatever they can with little or no support from the public. 

No police in the world can be omnipresent where crime takes place. While there could be lapses at times but blaming them completely is just passing the buck.

If i get robbed, its my F6 problem. If i get attacked its my bloody problem. I didn't take precautions and I didn't train myself on basic personal security procedures.

Solution

The ONLY solution lies in the Pre-Crime Elements. One must take their Personal Security....Personally and Seriously. I'm not scared to walk on a dark road or such. Only because I carry with me the most deadly weapons - A Trained Mind and a Trained body. I am trained to incapacitate my attacker and call the cops for Post-Crime job. But in such a crime - The Criminal has become the victim. If I can, any woman or man can.

What women need today is Tactical Education. Not to be treated like sheep and remind them that the men are always there to protect them. The same men who watch when she is being molested or abused. The same men who disrespect her at home. We know not all men are bad but it so happens that such crime always take place when the good men are not around.

There is no point is long debates and watching repeat telecasts of the same crime. Just a big waste of time. Debates never saved a life. Actions did. I hope this event has served as a wake up call for you all. If it hasn't, wait for few more.

Call me if you wish to organize a Personal Security Training for women in your workplace, gym, dance studio, apartment complex or a venue of your choice.

Till then - Take Care & Take Charge !

Chakradhari Rowe 

Personal Security Tips for Women

Recently, a girl in Bangalore foiled a kidnapping attempt. There are some lessons to learn from this event. Here is the video you must first see, so you can understand what we discuss below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROuWsifNfMs

While the crime against women is on an all time high, it is now becoming a necessity for all to be physically and mentally strong to foil any attacks. It is time and again proved that those who fear most are picked as targets. Even though we spend millions of rupees on education, you still don't possess the knowledge that will set you free from FEAR. Unfortunate but true. At Armored Spirit,  we've made a decision to train you tactically to get rid of fear. But before we get to that, we'd like you to read some of our suggestions you can implement on a daily basis. Plz share this with your colleagues and friends. It could definitely save someone some day.

So, you watched the above video. As scary as it is, trust us the tips to avoid are just as simple. So here you go -

1 - Never talk on the phone while you are walking on the road. Specially in areas that are quite and with negligible people movement. That could be even in front of your home. Quite areas are as advantageous for your adversary as they can be for you.

For your adversary, you know why its good. NO PEOPLE. For you, it could be an advantage if you have your ears, eyes open to scan your surrounding. If you are on phone, most of your senses are engaged, leaving you more prone to an surprise attack.

2 - Always watch your 6 (your back). Consider yourself a little safe only when you have a wall behind you. The adversary in this video, followed her. He went towards the corner and waited there. Never be so involved in the conversation that you can't notice a man closing in on you. Even if you had to be on a call, keep walking. In the middle of the road (provided its a by-lane and has no traffic). Away from openings that lead into buildings where you can be pulled in easily.

Also, don't walk in a set pattern. Keep changing your direction at random. Turn 360 degrees. This will never allow the adversary to take you by surprise from behind. Simply - DO NOT BE PREDICTABLE.

3 - Always carry a pen in your dominant hand and your cellphone in the other. You are smart to know what you must do with a pen. It can be used to engrave lessons not just on paper.

Most interesting part of this video was the lady who witnessed the abduction. Go back to the video and watch her reaction. Usually, being a witness to a crime and being afraid, we tend to walk faster or run. In this case, her pace of walk remained same. This could mean a few things -

a) She has been a silent witness to such crime before.
b) She has been a silent witness to this particular criminal in action before.

There is no video evidence to she having done anything to stop this crime. Maybe she did raise an alarm and that part of the video is not available. Just MAY BE.

But here is what I have always felt - NO MAN, can harm any woman without a woman directly/indirectly being involved in as a spectator. If women decided in one voice to stand up for another, we could reduce 90% of dowry deaths, as it cannot take place without the active involvement of the mother in law, a woman.

I hope, the above tips are taken seriously. Strictly NO PHONE while walking on the road, specially silent ones.

Take Care & Take Charge,

Chakradhari Rowe

Understanding 'Security' in the 21st Century.

In India, unfortunately, our reference to security is just a guard in uniform who supposedly protects an installation. This installation could be a home, an apartment, an office building, bank etc. Or we refer security to gadgets like metal detectors, magneto-meters, CCTV etc. Security, however is none of these. Those mentioned above are mere tools that compliment the process of securing anything. In this write-up I've divided security into different stages so we get a better understanding of it.

Before we get into the stages, we must understand the process. Security consists of 2 important perspectives - Prediction & Preparation. Before we can look at Security from these perspectives, it is important to define it in simple terms -

Security is a mental process to predict thoughts & actions that can cause possible harm, to assets (both tangible and non tangible, including human/animal life) from known or unknown sources/adversaries and prepare oneself mentally and physically to plan and secure these assets. The preparation must first focus on mental preparedness and physical tactical training and not completely depend on use of technology or weapons. 

Security is like a game of chess - all it has is prediction and preparation. 

 Prediction

This is a very critical step to ensuring success in security. Without being able to predict what could be coming our way, there is no way to prepare. It is noticed that most efforts to secure assets fail as the people responsible are not open-minded and are ego/position/experience(mostly outdated) driven. We are all aware that the kind of criminals we encountered 5 yrs back aren't the same today. Today we have a hundred new ways to attack and destroy critical assets. The easiest way for our adversaries to test our preparedness is make a small attack or warn us about an attack in advance. I mean come on, how intelligent of a terrorist to warn us about a possible hijack of a plane and make his mission more tough.

2 things usually happen - The security is able to defend the attack successfully but also exposes their checks and weakness. Lets talk about our checks first with an example to Lone wolf attacks happening around Europe right now. I'd still call it a lone wolf when terrorists coordinate attacks at 5 different places as they attack alone or max in a pair. The first time it happened in Paris - explosions at stadium, shooting at cafe, hostage at a theater, etc. Post this attack, the security situation must have been planned not according to the attacks that have already taken place. The job of the security personnel was to PREDICT how they would attack in future. 2 terrorists then strike killing a priest in the church and one running over a crowd with a truck.

You could have the greatest weapons and the largest army, if you cannot predict the next move of your adversary, you will lose civilians and forces.

During my first class learning about IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) and Wolf attacks, my instructor gave us 5 mins to plan a terror attack in our respective countries. I wasted the first 3 mins or so, fighting my moral compass that wouldn't allow me to think of planning such an act. But once I realized the objective, I planted a bomb in a movie theater with ease. Completely aware of the level of checking that happens at the venue, aware of the awareness of the security personnel about possible weapons/components of IED's etc.

The fact is that in India, we are sitting ducks. Even though we are a billion + people, we depend on a few millions to protect us. Which is not wrong. but we depend on them COMPLETELY. And at every failure we love to take our bite of their flesh for failing. Go back to the line above where I speak of ego/experience/position coming in the way. Our biggest enemy is the state most of us are living in. The 'State of Denial'. Post the wolf attacks in Dhaka, I was speaking to a friend about being prepared of such ones in India. His answer was - Ah, that kinda stuff don't happen in India. I asked why ? I'm sure such things won't happen here, he replied. Though I pray that his words are held true, but I also knew as a security professional, he was sitting on a grenade. One event and the pin is pulled and then, it's a matter of time before it blows up.

While I trained in Israel on counter terror tactics, a couple of wolf attacks did take place there. One was the much spoken, at Sarona Market. As the attack took place we received videos from various security sources from various angles. What I saw in one, was unbelievable. I saw few men attack the adversary with a chair. In another incident that took place some months back, a terrorist rammed his car into people standing at a bus stop (Nice attack was not innovative. It was a copy of this one). He then got out of the vehicle with a butcher's knife and hacked a few who were in shock. However, that guy was taken down by a private security personnel immediately while those around ran towards him with whatever they could grab to hit.

I'm sure these instances would have given you a feel of wolf attacks. So, we know we are like sitting ducks. So where are we failing ?

1- We are failing to recognize our vulnerability to wolf attacks. We cannot expect the military, the police or the unarmed security guards to save you when you get attacked by a man/woman walking next to you.

2 - To hide our false prestige and accept that we are scared, we choose to be citizen of the State of Denial.

3 - We continue to be selfish. Not care about what is going wrong around us and try to stop it. Instead, we like to shoot (with our cameras). I'm sure we'll have someone shoot a video of being hacked by a wolf. But he won't live to share it.

4 - We have taken our defense forces for granted. You don't play cricket without the ball guard. Know why ? Coz 'WHAT IF' it misses the bat. So what if the wolf crawled by next to you ?

I can go on with many more points but these are enough to get you thinking in the direction that will make you think of your security. So getting back to Prediction. I suggest you keep you eyes, ears and mind open. There is only so many CCTV's that you can have. But imagine if each of us were aware of our individual security, making India the most secured nation with a BILLION CCTV's, it would be impossible for a wolf to attack. Each covering the others 6 (back).

We now transition to the next important part,

Preparation

Once you have your prediction antenna on, you will be able to catch the frequency of the attacker with ease. Preparation here includes 2 aspects. Preparation in thought and action.

Lets talk about preparation in thought first -

"The queen is moved from D1 to D2. Doesn't look like a big threat ! WRONG. Whether it is or it isn't, your thought of tagging that move as not a threat has exposed you to grave danger".

Read the above words in quote. Once with dramatic emotions and the 2nd time with flat emotions. There is a huge difference. For a security personal or one who is thinking like one, emotions can be your biggest enemy. Not because of how you will respond outwardly but because how your corresponding thoughts would shape.

So, your first step to prepare your thoughts is - Get a hold on your emotions. If you've read reports of people describing terrorists while they attacked, you will know that they are display no emotions. If you have to counter them you too must not panic. Emotional Intelligence is vital for not just your survival but of those you wish to protect.

Preparation in Action -

Unarmed combat is must. The reason why terrorists don't survive an attack in Israel is thanks to their policy of having an option for all citizens to serve in the army after their 12th std/2nd PUC. For a population of around 8 million this is easy to do, but for a billion people, we cannot. Hence, one must take personal interest and initiative to train themselves in counter terror tactics and unarmed combat (plz note - unarmed combat might not be equal to learning martial arts). Preparing your body for high voltage immediate action might save your life. Not to mention of the civilians you will save around you.

For this, you must say NO to JUNK food. Maintain clean and healthy lifestyle. Build yourself into a fit person. Lets say you had someone attack you and you didn't know unarmed combat, are you fit enough to run faster to get away from him ? Or if you had to chase an adversary across the street, can you catch him or you'll collapse after a few meters ? If you are hit and are in pain, can you still crawl and hide ?

All this might sound like a military training but well, for times like these, when the terrorists could be walking next to you, you need these skills if you must survive and save others around you.

I suggest, you make a group of friends and indulge in discussing options and tactics on what you will do when .........terror strikes. As a group indulge in physical activities. Push each other to go beyond pain (if you guys need a serious push, call me ! SERIOUSLY !). Discuss terror attacks. What could have been done by those around. Discuss how you would identify suspects. What clothes, behavior, language, etc. The only way to fight these wolfs is to get together as responsible citizens. Build each other. Trust each other.

I hope this write-up has instigated you to think different about security and what it must mean to you. I hope you take your Personal Security - Personally and Seriously !

Jai Hind !

Chakradhari Rowe

Nirbhaya - Beyond The TRP's

Disclaimer: Park your emotions before you start reading this. Some amount of EQ and IQ is needed to understand crime and its counters. 

Foreword:

If we have to find a solution to this menace of sexual abuse, we have to look at the crime from a perspective beyond that which is shown to us for gaining TRP's. This article will contradict in many ways what the media has shown you so far. It will be your achievement if you can read this write up and understand where we are going wrong.

THE CAUSE

With the TRP's that the Nirbhaya case received, the amount of candles burnt, the number of articles written, the number of talk shows conducted, the amount of air time used, we should have gotten somewhere in terms of reducing abuse against women. On the contrary, on the 4th anniversary of this case we had 2 rapes (1 gang rape, unreported not known) in the same city. We also have - 34,000 rapes ‘reported’ in 2015. Unreported could actually be more as we still belong to a society that discourages a victim to go public. Mumbai has seen a rise of over 200% in recent years in crime against women. Delhi still seems like the rape capital.

In this write up, I will be as blunt as anyone can be. I will share with you, what I believe can be a possible immediate solution to this menace.

We can debate what is really causing these statistics to rise at such alarming rate for a few more decades. Just like how we’ve been doing since the last few. Reasons ranging between lack of law enforcement, lack of justice enforcement, corruption, to reasons as ridiculous as girls going out late night and inappropriate dressing. There is no end to this discussion on the cause. This note however is to focus on the solution.

INTRODUCTION

Like cyclones and tornado, crime too comes with early indications. Investigators call them PCI (Pre Crime indicators). Few rapes a year escalating into a hundred rapes everyday didn’t happen overnight. There were, available PEI (Pre Escalation Indicators). However we chose to ignore those PEI’s & PCI's. We won’t be completely wrong if we say - the delay and quality of punishment given to the culprits, IF they were ever caught, was the biggest PEI.

In this article,  I'll denote every PCI with a * and every PEI with a #.

Assuming you take 10 to 15 mins to read this piece of text, there would have been a rape in some part of India in this time. And high possibility that it would have either got silenced or its been turned into a mysterious murder. This must stop right now. I know we all feel that way. But none are willing to do what it takes. We are so used to doing what is easy. And that is - BLAME. We blame the law enforcement, blame the victims, blame the bystanders, blame the criminals, blame the type of food one eats, blame the clothes one wears and everything that has nothing or very little to do with the crime.

This piece is about the truth. Truth from the perspective of someone trained by the best counter crime/terrorism professionals in the world. I can say with utmost accuracy that if what I write don’t make sense to you then nothing else will. You will go back to being a pussy and find a reason to blame things outside of you and lose your control on elements you had control on. In this write-up I will share an insight into how every woman has the opportunity to deter any malicious intent or action that is directed towards her or anyone around her. I will share this by taking an example of a case that caused a nation wide agitation and sensation. The media reported it 24/7 until there was any juice left. This write-up is a postmortem of this case and the mistakes the victim or her accomplice made that resulted in such.

THE CRIME

What if I told you the DGR (Delhi Gang Rape) was a planned affair and not an accident. The victim and her friend meeting at the mall - was planned. Which movie they would watch - was planned. Taking a 3 wheeler to Munirka - was planned. Choosing to get into THAT bus - was planned. The malicious intent of the boys on the bus - was planned. And everything that happened next - was planned. Nope, I’m not speaking of some master plan that god wrote but I speak of a perspective that I need you all to see that will help you understand the purpose of this write-up better.

When I say it was all planned, I’d like to define what a plan is. According to the dictionary the word ‘Plan’ is described in 2 forms:

As a Noun: an intention or decision about what one is going to do.
As per this definition its very clear that what I said above was accurate. It was all a plan.

As a Verb: decide on and make arrangements for in advance.
As per this definition, the word ‘ADVANCE’ doesn’t mention a timeline. So it could be an year before or also could be what it means as a noun. A Decision just before you act.

Looking at the above meaning we know that both the attacker and the victim were part of the plan from their own perspective. They both made plans and somewhere their paths crossed. At this crossing, both had a choice to choose their roles. It is important to acknowledge this to understand the rest of what I'd like to share.

The Crime - Choosing Our Role

All was fine till it was getting late for the girl to get home. 'Repeated calls from home* increased the stakes as she probably didn't share about her whereabouts* with her family nor did she share her challenges* of not being able to find a safe transport. It is usual in our culture that parents get worried. And it is out of love and care. But more often than not - parents tend to force their fear and anxiety onto their kids# while forgetting the fact that they have done nothing to train them to handle such anxiety (a tactical life skill). Neither have they built a foundation for open communication# where the kid feels safe to speak the truth.

Today, if you ask the girls parents if they would have been ok if she reached a little late that night after finding safe transport, they'd probably say yes. Coz now the delay in her getting home is compared to the current reality and the delay sounds and feels much better. So, both the girl and her friend were finding it tough to get her home AS SOON AS POSSIBLE*. While all their efforts to get an auto riksha failed, there approached THAT bus.

In the bus were ONLY 4 guys*. Any sane mind with a girl wouldn't have taken that bus*. Ask Akshay Kumar and he'd tell you he too wouldn't have taken that bus if it was in real life. In an interview ,the girls friend said that he showed resistance but the guys in the bus assured safety*. Now, which criminal would not do that ? When you are alone and powerless + with a girl, how could you even buy such an assurance ? You know you are not someone who is trained to fight or even have the courage to die fighting*. But he bought it. I'm assuming that the girl didn't speak at that point as she was already affected enough with the PEI's (repeated calls from home). I'm dead sure that the victim did feel that it was a mistake to get onto THE bus. Research proves that women are naturally talented and gifted to have a strong intuition. Something you need to successfully identify PCI's. However most women due to low self confidence ignore their intuition and fall prey to such crime.

PCI's are part of the crime. They always exist. In all crime. They exist in natural disasters too. Man has today designed equipment to identify the PII(Pre Incident Indicators) that come before any disaster. 

I'm sure the bus driver saw these two alone in the bus stop* from a distance. I'm also certain that the 4 did discuss before* the bus decided to stop for these 2. I'm equally certain that they had PLANNED some mischief. There is a possibility that the 4 were, in fact out there with that bus that evening with some crime on their mind. They were probably looking for a lone girl but they got a guy along. And by his initial negotiation* they must have flagged him white (not a threat).

It was this moment when the victim and her friend were standing at the door of this bus, there was a choice at their disposal to become victims or to refuse the ride and live safe. We all know what they chose. But do we know what they felt before they made that choice ? Do we know what the victim's intuition warned her ? I refuse to believe their intuition was absent. I also refuse to believe that they felt safe boarding that bus.

The Crime - Postmortem 

It is very interesting how the media from the beginning, didn't not raise some important questions.

•  Why did the girl not share with her parents her inability to get a safe transport ? Why couldn't she be frank with her parents and tell them that she is safe at that moment and will get home as soon as she finds a safe transport.
•  If you had the money to watch a movie in Select City Mall then why couldn't you afford (jointly) a 200 - 300 bucks auto fare to her home while giving more importance to her safety ?
•  Why did the guy agree to get into that empty bus with 4 guys ?
•  When he refused the first time to board the bus, what convinced him to go against his intuition and decision ?
• What did the attackers say that convinced him that it was safe to travel with them ?
•  Why did he not try to kill at least one ? Or what injuries did he inflict onto the attackers ? (Anger can cause a massive power rush even in a half dead man) If he lived to tell the tale he probably wasn't injured enough or lacked personal will to fight back in spite of pain.

These questions are quite aggressive towards the victim and her friend and completely contrary to questions that could generate TRP. If the above questions were asked back then by the media, we wouldn't have had another rape today in the same city where - a girl was offered a lift by a cab guy and she readily agreed and got raped. I'm sure she too was reluctant and the cab driver sold (just like the 4 guys did) his trust.

What does it take for a woman to trust a stranger ? How long ? What proof does she look for to be able to trust him ? Would it be ridiculous to call 100 and tell the cops that she is alone at a particular location and she is scared and not finding transport ? Our Police is not so insensitive to ignore such calls. 

The Solution Perspective

I need you, the reader to understand this from a non emotional perspective. We will never find the root cause and a solution if we get emotional about the challenges. While we demand death sentence to these culprits, rapes will not really come down. What we need to do is find that factor which can change the rate at which these crimes take place.

Police and Courts are #PostCrime factors. When we blame them for being slow and nonsensitive we are tell the criminals that - We are still not doing anything that can STOP them from raping our women. When we focus on powering our women with #CounterCrimeTactics we are telling the criminals that - Now you CAN NOT mess with our women. This is a #PreCrime factor. This gives complete control into our hands and hence we control the result.

The Solution 

Take complete ownership of what happens to you. When you have accepted that you are weak and do not know how to protect yourself, take responsibility to find people on Social media or in your community who can help you train and become capable enough to protect yourself. When I say protect I don't just mean learning martial arts and stuff. I mean the mental and tactical know how of how you can avoid a crime and not get into it and then fight your way out.

Deterrence is the greatest tactic against all crime and terrorism, that is least understood and used. 

How to identify a malicious intent early on. How to read PCI and understand PEI. Become more smarter than the criminal. You learn to use your brains to beat his dick. That day, no criminal will ever mess with another girl. That day the police will not have any case to solve. That day we will not have to take out a candle march for a girl and ask the courts for a death sentence.

The Solution is in the hands of every woman who is reading this. Remember an Armored Spirit can never be Raped or Abused ! 

I hope this article gets you to think in the right direction. A direction that helps you realize that the power to stop crime against women lies in the Mind & Spirit of herself and no other place outside. The only solution to this menace is #PersonalSecurityTraining and not #Blaming.

I urge you to get every woman you know to read this and learn from the errors of a fallen spirit. I write this with all grief in remembrance of #Nirbhaya. Lets unite and walk in the direction of Personal Security for all.

Jai Hind

Chakradhari Rowe 

Discrediting - Indian Armed Forces

The below write up is from the perspective of a civilian, trained in Protection & Counter Terrorism Tactics (at Israel). This is the closest a civilian can get to understanding both worlds - for those who stand guard and those who sleep well.  I hence qualify myself to be able to lash back at all those sharing videos that are being used to discredit the Armed Forces.  

I've watch many #Bollywood flicks based on the #IndianArmy since i was young. However, I found the hollywood more realistic in such genre. In the last 5yrs, I've had much closer interactions with the #ArmedForces (both serving and retired) personnel from various ranks. And my understanding of this elite force has gotten more clear by the day. 

I had only a fair idea of the enemy they face till I started my training at Israel in Protection & Counter Terrorism. While I did prepare myself physically for such training, I was no where near the standard required to fight today's Terrorism. Both Mentally and Physically. But the Israeli's have the knack of transformation at the speed of light.

In just a few months, I was way too confident to handle a wide range of security and counter terrorism portfolio. From being a Close Protection & Counter Terrorism Operative to being able to offer Instruction in the said domain. This write up speaks about 2 worst forms of torture that the Israeli's gave me. After reading this you will understand the true nature of the complaints that are coming from few elements from the armed forces. 

Torture #1 - NO SUFFICIENT FOOD ! 

When I checked into the hotel and entered the dining hall for the very first time, I choked. The menu was filled with Meat and Fish. Yes, I'm a PURE Vegetarian. There were no Roti's No Dal, No Panner NOTHING ! There was the fat rice, dripping of olive oil. There was Popatoes fried in olive oil (I presume) and salad. At this sight, I thought to myself - Waaaooo ! I will enjoy healthy meals for next few months. However this thought came crashing within an hour of the first days training. I blacked out twice with a severe knee injury that got worse as the days passed by.

Today, when I look back, I am grateful to my instructor for what he did to me. From that day onwards, every single day, I was broken and re-engineered more stronger than the previous day. As most Indian's do - I cribbed. He didn't give a shit. And I'm glad he didn't. With chocking meat smell in the dining hall + nothing that I could call my kinda food + daily physical and mental breaking sessions, the PERFECT conditions for creating a Warrior were created.

I have met many who have traveled abroad and found themselves starving due to lack of Indian/vegetarian food. The BURNT roti and Dal that the BSF element showed in his video would have been heavenly for me during my training. My purpose at that point was to grab anything that is vegetarian that can help me survive. For me it was WAR. The real Jihad if i can call it - War over oneself. I was at war with myself everyday. With my weaknesses. With my excuses. With my limitations. With my inability to perform due to lack of needed food. In the end, I won !

When i saw that video of the BSF element, where he spoke of dropping temperatures and in human conditions - I thought about those soldiers who were taking the pain to mix the flour and water in bare hands and make those roti's for them so THEY COULD SURVIVE. Those sharing these videos should once live a week of combat and tactics before they can call the Indian Army names and be shameful about them. 99% of you won't survive a day. I have spoken to high ranked officers and they tell me of the brillinat quality of food that is served to our forces most of the time. Even if there was a lapse at the commanding officer level, it is absolutely irresponsible of the soldier to post his complain on Social Media.

Almost towards the end of my training at Israel, I found and got time to visit a Punjabi Restaurant. My joy had no bounds. I hogged like I was starving.

This was me getting emotional after not having home food, added to feeling home sick. There is no age to feeling this way. Probably the same feeling that the BSF element experienced. Or may be he was one of those weak elements who lost his mental toughness to sustain and survive under tough conditions (the same conditions those cooking for him are going though) at that very same time.

I'm sure the BSF doesn't ship burnt roti's from Delhi or elsewhere. They are prepared in a camp close to them. So have some brains before you blame delhi for it ! Else you must blame Mr. TATA for a hair found in Taj food.  

Torture #2 - I got beaten up to pulp !

It was time to learn unarmed combat. The task was 2:1. 2 guys beating one guy up. Initially not very hard but it got harder by the days. Punches, kicks, slaps, hits in my face, head, thighs, abdomen. Active shooter simulations with M14 paintball markers WITHOUT any body armor. Marks of which I still carry on my body even after 6 months. And I look at them during every shower and remind myself of the PAIN I endured and what it made me.

If you haven't done anything passionate that has left scars on you that you see everyday and remind yourself of the inner strength you have.......then you've probably waste your life. 

The objective was clear from the first day - You need to learn to get back up and fight, even after you get hit. The more your capacity to take pain, the less you fear. In less than 2 months the Israeli's got me trained to manage my fear to power myself. And not to let fear control my response. We were trained to charge into a terrorist/active shooter rather than run for cover and hide. Something a common civilian will not understand. Coz all you know is to run for your life when there is an attack (tactically the most idiotic thing to do).

I'm referring to the video that shows few elements from the Army (thought it is not clear if they are from the Army) caning who seemed like new recruits.But first you must understand the enemy these trainees will be facing in the battle:

Our Enemy: We all know who it is. We also know they are brutal and have in the past beheaded our men and chopped  their bodies. They are known for brutal human rights violations during interrogation and other times. With such a brutal enemy - our men fight. And to train to fight such brutality, we must create pain that will condition our men to charge into their enemy rather than run away.

Pain - It can either build you mentally and physically or it can make you complain like a wimp. Just like a dog. Some dogs attack you when you hit them, others run away. Now you tell me which one would you like to be guarded by ? 

I'm glad that I became a dog that would attack. And so must every soldier who intends to become one in totality. We need strong men to defend our nation. Not those who get scared of pain during drills. So if you are a civilian, first learn why these men are being beaten rather than blindly share the video by some asshole who has no clue what he's talking about or has other intentions to do so. If you have nothing to do in life then sleep or go get drunk. But stop sharing videos whose intent is being socially engineered to discredit our armed forces.

The Indian Army is about Pain, Sacrifice, Grit, Mental and Physical Toughness, Emotional Intelligence, Self Control, Self Discipline, Accuracy, Tenacity, Attitude and Warrior Spirit to name a few. And if you think men will be developed in such traits with 5 star food, accommodation and no pain then you aren't talking about Indian Army. You probably talking about rich brats.

The institution of the Indian Army is spotless. And I believe in it's integrity and honesty - completely. I'm just saddened and disappointed that I could not serve this great institution in this life time. But if I come back, my request to almighty is to dedicate me to this family of sorts for lifetimes to come.

My message to all those who read this - Plz stop sharing the videos. You are doing more bad than good. If you believe me, then know that this great institution is made up of good men with integrity toward our nation and its people. And they will not do anything to harm our freedom and sovereignty.

Right now, India is fighting the toughest war it has ever fought. A war where social media is being used to turn our youth against its own system by systematic 'Social Engineering' tactics. Such kind is called - Psychological Warfare. So I request you all to ask yourself if the video you are about to share is -

Legitimate ?

Will it have any adverse effect on public opinion ?

Will it create a distrust against the political system ?

Will it bring down the morale of those sacrificing their lives for our sleep ?

I hope you have found some points to ponder upon. I wish we all can stand together against the massive social engineering attempts to destabilize one of the fastest growing economies.

Jai Hind !

Take care & take charge,

Chakradhari Rowe

Pepper Spray, Tazer Guns.... Are they Legal?

The below apps/weapons have been reviewed keeping in mind the following points -

During an attack  you will be in panic unless you have been trained to stay calm.

During an attack your pulse is anywhere between 150 to 190 bpm, with irregular breathing, sending less oxygen to your brain narrowing your peripheral vision, your brain secreting neuro-chemicals that in most cases freeze your muscles (unless trained to respond accurately) and do not allow you to respond.

Now lets review the options available through applications & otherwise available in the market:

Option 1 - Pepper Spray

It is one of the WORST counter offensive you could think of. Here's why -

It takes a min of 4 to 5 seconds for you to take it out of your bag (if you are trained to stay calm) else its 15 to 20 seconds in panic. As shared earlier the neuro-chemicals freeze you.Where you use it is very critical for you and your adversary. If you are in a room or a cab then you dare not use it (specially if its in motion). If you are in open you'll have to first check the direction of the wind before you can use it. You don't want to use it when the wind is against you. A friend once sprayed a very small amount of pepper spray in a room we were and we could't get in till almost a few hours.

I sent many messages to the official Bangalore City Police twitter handle (@cpblr) inquiring if it was legal to use pepper spray. I NEVER got any response.You do not want to take it for granted b'coz the law can be used against you anytime.What i found online in a few places, said -  only the NSG was authorized to use it in some cases. Also - there are 2 kinds of Pepper Spray. One that sprays like a Deo and the other that sprays liquid. Out of the 2 - The liquid is more safe in case you wanna have some spice in your life. (Plz beware. I've experienced a very minute dose of this and my throat infection lasted a few days)

The last thing you need is to inhale the pepper and become an easy victim for your attacker.

Option 2 - Stun Gun aka 'Taser'

IT IS NOT LEGAL in INDIA. In India the use of stun guns are subject to legal restriction. Under the Indian Arms Act only  licensed police officials, NSG can use it under the situation where its use is found reasonable from the perspective of a reasonable officer who at the time was present in the scene. The law also limits the use to any dangerous individual and not those who passively resist arrest.It is also banned in a few states in the USA and some European countries.You could KILL a man; if you give too much of the current in the burst of anger.

Option 3 - Mobile Phone Applications (with or without bluetooth triggers)

We assume the attacker is a novice dumb f*^k. He don't know no technology, no brains, uneducated (dangerous to consider your enemy as such a guy). We also assume that you are kidnapped in a cab (driven out of route) the driver/attacker lets you hold on to your cell phone (any cab driver who gets his bookings by an app, today knows that phones can be and are being tracked). He lets you keep your phone and send repeated distress alerts to your loved ones. We assume there is Full Cell Phone coverage with internet 3G/Edge thought out the city and outskirts where your are being driven. We assume your cell phone is connected to a power bank 24/7 and you never forget to leave home with an uncharged phone or your magic Bluetooth device (watch, band, pendent etc) Most of these apps have similar features. They send your location to your chosen contacts.When your contacts get the info - They must be someone who check their phone every time it beeps. Else they will miss your SOS message. When you trigger an alert, most apps send the location at the time of trigger. So if your cab driver is taking you away from your destination, you'll have to keep sending them alerts at every 30 seconds for them to know which way you are heading. There is no option for live monitoring or tracking in most apps. 

Even before you buy that safety watch or that safety band you'll need to check your cellphone battery life. Leave your GPS and Bluetooth on for an entire day and see how long it lasts. Whatever the time divide it by nearly half as with the device there will be active communication and more battery usesage.When your chosen contacts get your location, they have to be able to get to you in time. With city traffic (in all major cities) jammed at all time, every second of yours with your adversary will count. Its not really as easy as they make it look in advertisements that sell these products. End of the day - The product company won't take any guarantee of your life just because you bought their product.  Most importantly - the trigger devices (watch, band etc) are just triggers. If your attacker gets rid of your phone then all you can do with that watch (nothing against the product in market) is count your last few minutes you have. There are a few apps that are quite innovative, like - they send your distress signal to anyone using that app around you. But I'm not very sure if that really works. 

Again if your movement is not being tracked live, then there is NO USE of that app. By the time help reaches that location, you could be at a different one.

So, trusting your life on only technology that has NO Tactics, is never my choice for my wife, sister or friend. I train my women to build their mind and body as their ultimate weapons. I train them on Personal Security Tactics.

If there are any apps, weapons, or safety devices you want us to review - send us details on cd@armoredspirit.com   or   WhatsApp us on +91 807 368 0835 and we'd love to share our take on them.

Your Personal Security is our Business coz You are a VIP for your family !

For more info on Personal Security Training, visit us at www.armoredspirit.com 

Women's Day is Everyday !

 Women's Day - Short and Sweet !

Disclaimer: The Truth Shall Set You Free....But First - It Shall Piss You Off !

For some reason, 8th of March seems to be THE day when the gender that the creator decided to create in their image, is given utmost importance. It is on this auspicious day that women are recognized as fellow beings. On this day, the MNC's set aside time that they want to give to their women workforce, to organize training that are related to them could be their hobbies, additional work skills, dealing with stress of delivering excellence at home and at work or even their personal security or self defense. To organize some fun events.

It doesn't matter if you are a girl or a boy but the moment you opened your eyes the first person you saw was a woman. And from that day to your death bed there will always be a woman in your life in one role or the other. Starting from a Mother, Sister, Friend, Aunt, Grand Mother, Lover, Wife, Daughter. Our lives have revolved around them since evolution.

In fact, in the South Indian marriage tradition, post the actual ritual when a couple is pronounced married, the priest escorts the couple under the open sky to show them a star. Known as the Arundhati and Vasistha star. It is shown as a reminder that even though the couple stars look like one star to the naked eye, in reality they are 2 and that they revolve around each other. It is done as a reiteration to the the couple that they must too be like that.

With so much importance given to the relationship between man and woman, both choose to celebrate the woman only on this ONE DAY. The other days, she is just another being trying to meet the timelines of family and work. And it don't end here, she is abused every single day in each of the roles that I mentioned above and we do nothing about it. When I say WE, I include the woman in it. Women today have become complacent. Unfortunate but true. I have been speaking to a lot of women since my entry into the personal security domain. And I've been speaking about the issues that have been hurting them most. 

Most of these discussions have ended reiterating that MOST women have got into a habit of debating about the social evils that hurt them time and again but when I made them realize that it was in their hands to take control of the situation MOST said - Yeh lets see ! 

This Must Change ! 

There is no point in extremism. Being overly feminist will do no good. There are very few women who can be extremists. And if you do not have many women who are such, then you are but a minority. What is needed is a massive external push. As a society, we have destroyed the self esteem of women. I have met well read women with little self esteem. It will take a collective effort by all women to break the glass ceiling that is holding them down. I have proved many time to those who disagreed to my statement that 'The greatest enemy of a women is another women'. Such an attitude must be eliminated. Each women will now have to CARE for another in her circle of influence. Even at work. You might be competing professionally but as women you must stand by each other. You must push each other to break that which holds you down. 

 #BeBOLDforChange - Train for Personal Security.

International Women's Day this year has this message for you all ! Its time to be BOLD. And your first step towards being BOLD is by you learning to secure yourself against malicious intent and action. Train yourself to identify pre-crime indicators. Learn that it is wise to avoid a conflict than to get into one and show your are a fighter. One of world's greatest general said - A Wise warrior will defeat his enemy even without drawing out their sword. Learn the importance of #Deterrence. Keep yourself FIT. Building muscles is not fitness. You could simply start with PRANAYAM every morning. Say no to junk food. 

Every Day is a Women's Day !

Don't wait for your company or institution to organize a security training for you. Most companies and institutions won't. Very few really care. Even if they do, it would be around a Women's Day. Could be 2017 or even 2018 or even later. You take an initiative. Find the right program that can train even those who are physically weak. Get your friends together. Don't just discuss social evils, discuss possible solutions to kill them. Get some expert help. Social media has a vast network of people willing to help (me included). Make every women around you feel you have her back covered. No criminal can mess with a bunch of awakened spirits. 

Armored Spirit would like to celebrate 2017 as an year that will mark - The Awakening of the Spirit. 

The entire of 2017, Armored Spirit will work on training a min of 500 women in a manner that they can NEVER become victims EVER in their lives. Let everyday of 2017 mark a Women's Day. 

Wishing you all a powerful awakening today ! 

Take Care & Take Charge,

Chakradhari Rowe

www.armoredspirit.com