Global General

Special

Newsmaker

Asia Pacific

America

Middle East

Europe

Africa

Police chief indicted for lapses in Mumbai attack

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-05 14:11

NEW DELHI -- More than six months after terror attacks rocked India's financial capital, a high level panel set up to probe the lapses has indicted Mumbai's police chief for not taking charge on that night and not following the standard operating procedure.

Related readings:  Pakistan court: Free alleged Mumbai-linked cleric  Mumbai gunman pleads not guilty  India to start trial of Mumbai attacker  Police to ask for burial of dead Mumbai attackers  Accused Mumbai gunman requests Pakistani envoys

A senior Indian Home Ministry official said Friday that a report written by the panel and constituted by the government mentioned that Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor did not take charge of the force on November 26 night, instead left it on his junior officials to deal with the situation.

The report is expected to be tabled soon in the Maharastra Assembly, the regional parliament of the Maharastra state in western India, where Mumbai is located.

"The report also blamed the police chief for poor coordination between senior police officials and his lack of movement as he stayed in one spot only. It says he should not have stayed in one spot and should have visited different terror sites to assess what was needed," the official said, on condition of anonymity.

The Mumbai terror attacks were more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across the city. The attacks, which drew widespread condemnation across the world, claimed the lives of over 170 people, including foreign nationals.