Claims the Ram Pradhan Committee, adding that, like Hasan Gafoor, the DGP too had goofed up on 26/11
Claims the Ram Pradhan Committee, adding that, like Hasan Gafoor, the DGP too had goofed up on 26/11
The Ram Pradhan Committee, looking into police actions on 26/11, has found that Maharashtra Director General of Police
A N Roy had goofed up on 26/11 by not following then Commissioner of Police Hasan Gafoor's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) document.
According to the SOP, in case of a bomb blast or a terrorist strike, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) would head the control rooms.
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The Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) would work in conjunction with the Joint Commissioner of Police (Anti- Terrorism Squad).
What happened
Initially, both Jt CP (L&O) K L Prasad and Jt CP (Crime) Rakesh Maria were in the control room.
According to Prasad's statement to the committee, Roy called the control room as soon as he heard of the attack.
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He suggested that two senior officers need not be in the control room and ordered Prasad to proceed to the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower where DCP Zone-1 Vishwas Nangre Patil was handling police operations.
Prasad did so and reached the spot at 2 am.
However, the report also points out that Roy had actually no operational jurisdiction to take an active part in mobilising forces and advising the city police in the way he did.
He also did not co-ordinate with Gafoor when he gave his orders to Prasad, which he should have done.
Why it happened
According to a senior officer, Roy had no idea about the SOP. However, Gafoor, as the commissioner, was not required to give it to Roy. Inadvertently, Roy went against the SOP.
However, retired commissioners of police have stated in the report, that Prasad, as the Jt CP (L&O) would have been a better choice than Maria to head the control room since he knew his officers better.
Roy was unavailable for comment.
What Roy did on the day of the attack
Roy came to know about the attack from a source at the Taj at around 2145-2155 hrs on November 26, 2008.
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He alerted the State Police Control Room who conveyed the news to the Mumbai City police Control Room. He also phoned DCP Zone-1 Vishwas Nangre Patil.
He went to his office at 2215 hrs and along with all senior officers, monitored events.
He kept in close touch with Joint CP (Crime) Rakesh Maria who was supervising the police operations from the Mumbai City Control Room.
On Maria's request, he spoke to Sub Area Commander (Army) to send army commandos.
He also contacted Union Home Secretary to send NSG commandos. He was also in close contact with the Chief Secretary.
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