Chidambaram slams city cops for losing their focus

Home minister P Chidamabaram gave the Mumbai police a piece of his mind on Wednesday. The law enforcers were criticised on a range of issues — from losing Hemant Karkare’s jacket to being too media-savvy.

After offering an apology to Kavita Karkare, wife of slain police officer Hemant Karkare, the minister said, “It is shoddy of Mumbai police to have misplaced the jacket.” The minister’s reaction comes close on the heels of Kavita Karkare taking along Smita Salaskar, wife of police inspector Vijay Salaskar, to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and discuss the plight of the victims of terror attack, particularly the families of martyred cops. Kavita had reportedly raised the issue of the missing jacket.

“I am sorry the jacket cannot be traced,” Chidambaram said. He also reacted angrily to Mumbai cops’ tendency to rush to the media at the drop of a hat. “Mumbai Police cannot speak to media out of turn. Their job is to enforce law and order,” he said.

The provocation for Chidambaram’s strong words ostensibly came from the manner in which certain sections of the media have been reporting “developments” related to the arrests of David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana in the US in connection with the 26/11 attacks.

Where is the need for Mumbai police to react on this subject? The National Investigating Agency is investigating the matter in a planned manner, he said.