This Article is From Jun 16, 2009

Maharashtra govt tables action taken report on 26/11

Maharashtra govt tables action taken report on 26/11
Mumbai:

The Maharashtra government has tabled the action taken report on Pradhan Committee findings in 26/11 lapses in the state assembly.

The Opposition has raised objections to the Pradhan Committee finding not being tabled in the assembly, following which, the assembly has been adjourned for 20 minutes.

Just before tabling the report, the state government took care to remove Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor, who has been severely indicted by the report, which at the same time praises the overall response of the police force.

The Mumbai Police Commissioner should have taken command on 26/11, or at least appeared to take command. There are harsh words against Hasan Gafoor in the Pradhan Committee Report that has already cost him his post.

The report said that Gafoor stationed himself outside the Trident and gave instructions from there. He did not take charge of the control room to avoid duplication of efforts by different police teams. He went against the standard operating procedure laid down to deal with a terror strike.

As per the rules, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and order) K L Prasad, who is in-charge of all police stations in the city, should have been in the control room. He would have been quicker at sending troops to different sites. Instead, Gafoor asked Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Rakesh Maria to take over.

In fact, the Pradhan Committee has slammed the entire police leadership for not following emergency systems. It asks what is the point of a standard operating procedure if it is not followed?

The report is not all anti-police. It praises A N Roy, the Director General of Police, and Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Rakesh Maria, in-charge of the control room that night and several junior officers.

The Pradhan committee also voices a critical concern... about Mumbai police's lack of equipment...

It is no surprise then that the state came under pressure to act on its findings, especially since India's commercial capital cannot afford to not have the best force.

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