New Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria vows to control street crimes

Newly appointed Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria on Sunday said he would focus on controlling street crimes, providing a service oriented and transparent force to the people of the city.

"We will impose a zero tolerance policy on street crimes. We are aiming for a service oriented, public friendly and transparent police force which will be friendly to the public and enemy to the criminals," he said.

The former Anti-Terrorism Squad chief has been appointed as the Mumbai police chief after the voluntary exit of his predecessor, Satyapal Singh.

Rakesh Maria was inducted in the 1981 batch of the Indian Police Service. He came to prominence after cracking the twin blasts of Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazar in 2003.

Maria was also given the responsibility of investigating the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He had interrogated Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive.

On January 31, Satyapal Singh had resigned from the post of Mumbai police commissioner and is said to be preparing to contest the general elections.

Singh, who was due to retire next year, is reportedly considering contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls either from Mumbai or Uttar Pradesh, his native state.