Earlier this week, there was a breach in my security. I was stuck in a traffic jam when I saw a young man hiding his face, raising his phone from the car to click my photo. Maybe he even shot a video. I couldn't see him. I always wear an earpiece for security reasons. For someone who often gets chased, it's not an indulgence. There is an entire gang that keeps chasing me.
Many times, they follow my car. Start taking pictures. And it's not like when a fan takes a photo. These people chase me; try to get a shot of my number plates. My mind has been conditioned such that now it always goes for the alert button first. On Tuesday, my car was stuck in a jam. Trolls were blowing up my phone. I wondered about how this information would help them. I don't talk on the earpiece. I know the dangers but I wear an earpiece and will keep doing so. I can't do anything about it. What would you do if there was someone chasing you? In the final moments, you wouldn't hunt for the cable or fumble for the phone.
The young man who was clicking the pictures was sitting in the front seat of a private cab. When I pulled over next to him and honked to ask who he was and why was he clicking those pictures, I saw his parents sitting in the backseat, laughing. At the next chance that I got in the stationary traffic, I sent someone sitting next to me. The man said he was clicking the pictures because he was a fan.
I live surrounded by threats. I must stay alert. I am a law-abiding citizen; have never broken any rule while driving. But if someone clicks a photo or shoots a video, I have to be suspicious of their intentions. A few days ago, when I went out to have dinner with my family, four young men on the next table kept filming us, hiding their phone. My whole life has changed and how.
Today, you are seeing that image go viral. What can you do? First they will make the mob attack you, have you abused over the phone all day, all night. And if you even lose it one time and give it back to them then they will record it and make it viral. These things are now part of my everyday life. Show me a way to live in the middle of these threats without any security, and that too when a mob of thousands are following you - on the phone and on the streets too. This young man has compromised my security. Now, everyone knows that I often drive by myself. A while ago, a journalist had written a letter naming me that had gone viral. In it, he wrote about my made-up salary. This too was a kind of breach that could put me in jeopardy. I hope he realised his mistake.The day something goes wrong, I'll catch them.
(Ravish Kumar is Senior Executive Editor, NDTV India)Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.