Mumbai police commissioner’s reign of terror

These days, there is a cloud of unease and fear looming over the Mumbai police headquarters in Crawford Market. Policemen and officers alike talk in hushed tones and are not seen mingling with each other. The reason — the new police commissioner, Arup Patnaik, and his ‘tough’ ways of policing.

Patnaik announced his arrival as Mumbai’s top cop with a series of statements that sent shivers down the spines of his own men rather than those of criminals and anti-social elements.

Statements like ‘Pehle action baad main section’ and ‘Pehle joota baad main Gita’ (both instructing his men to crack the case before worrying about details) made headlines.

He began his term by cracking the whip on his own officers, and this is badly affecting their morale. During a surprise visit on the day of Holi, he found a senior inspector sleeping in his ante-chamber.

The officer, a decorated one, was promptly transferred out of the police station. What Patnaik didn’t bother to find out was that the officer had been working for 24 hours, had reached the station to rest, and had informed his immediate superior.

Patnaik has also appointed two six-foot-something ‘bouncers’ as his bodyguards.

The idea behind this is to deter criminals and anti-social elements from coming anywhere near the commissioner. However, such is the effect that even policemen are scared of coming anywhere near him!

Known to conduct marathon meetings and speak continuously for hours, Patnaik did not like officers interrupting him. He promptly issued a circular ordering his subordinates not to speak when he does and not to talk to each other, much like a school teacher hectoring his students. Not surprisingly, junior officers are upset.

There are reports that the crime branch, considered to be the ‘heart’ of the police, is also being given a step-motherly treatment by Patnaik. Though it has cracked one of the most difficult cases in recent times — the Amboli shootout — he has reportedly not even congratulated the team on its success.

His latest jolt to the police force is his order that a list of delinquent policemen be prepared and put up alongside similar lists of criminals and wanted gangsters in police stations. Now, policemen will be rated as womanisers, corrupt, connected with the underworld, drunkards and mischievous.

Patnaik is known to swear by the old-fashioned form of tough policing. Officers joke he is still stuck in the 1980s’ style of functioning. He needs to make a quick transition from 1980 to 2011, or else the morale of the force will continue dipping.