Mumbai:
Amid reports that the Maharashtra government is considering transferring him, Arup Patnaik, Mumbai's Police Commissioner, has defended his handling of the riot that erupted earlier this month at Azad Maidan, where thousands had gathered to protest against the deaths of Muslims in ethnic violence in Assam. Two people had died and more than 50 were injured, most of them policemen. Mr Patnaik has been criticised for failing to act quickly to curb the riot. At the same venue yesterday, 40,000 people gathered for a rally called by politician Raj Thackeray, who asked for Mr Patnaik to be sacked along with Maharashtra's Home Minister RR Patil.
But Mr Patnaik has told NDTV that he believes it was his duty to show restraint and prevent the situation from worsening. Asked about the policewomen who were assaulted by the mob, he said many media reports on the riots were either false or exaggerated. "There are one or two stray cases which are being investigated by SIT...but horror stories have been put out. They are my children...I am the chief, I should be more worried about them...that is how I lead the force," the Mumbai Police chief told NDTV.
Sources say that the Home Ministry has recommended that Mr Patnaik be moved out of the Commissioner's office, and that Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is expected to decide soon on that proposal. Mr Patnaik has ruled out resigning. He told NDTV, "I am a government employee. Ultimately whatever the government decides...the government decides whatever post to give me, I'll be fine with it."
The riot at Azad Maidan - and whether the police was inept in its preparations and handling - has been brought up in Parliament as well. CCTV cameras showed a large mob, armed with iron rods and swords, arriving at Mumbai's main train station, the CST. Sources say that the police had been warned that thousands were expected to attend the rally, and that a day before the demonstration, there were reports that Friday prayers and gatherings were urging attendees to head to Azad Maidan.
The intelligence wing of the Mumbai Police had warned in early August that as the violence in Assam spiralled, provocative messages were being sent out in Mumbai, some via SMS.