Frederick Forsyth, who died on June 9, would never have dreamt that the storyline of his immensely popular novel The Day of the Jackal (1971) and its film adaptation (1973) would inspire somebody to issue a fake alert in 1974 to frighten India’s security management, resulting in the cancellation of an event that was to be attended by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Bombay. Papers on this might still be available at the Mumbai Special Branch archives.

In 1974, the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) wanted Mrs Gandhi to perform the “Bhoomi Poojan” ceremony of its new premises, which were to be built on reclaimed land at Nariman Point. In 1969, she inaugurated the temporary NCPA auditorium in Akash Ganga building on Bhulabhai Desai Road in the presence of eminent persons like J R D Tata and Karan Singh, and she was keen to participate in the foundation laying ceremony in 1974.

I was then working as the........

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