India lacks the killer instinct: Sivanandan

Mumbai Police commissioner D Sivanandan has said that unlike Israel, which immediately reacts to any terrorist attacks, India lacks the killer instinct to hit back at those who carry out such attacks.

"Since thousands of years, we have been passively witnessing all terror attacks. We never went to fight with anybody. That's what our main problem is and we lack the killer instinct," he said.

"We cannot go and wage a war against Pakistan, China, or anybody else. But Israel never keeps quiet. Israelis go on their flights, bombard the fellows [enemies], come back, and keep quiet. But when we become aggressive, we face international pressure," Sivanandan, who was recently appointed Mumbai's police chief, said.

Sivanandan was giving a PowerPoint presentation on safety and security measures to be adopted at residential and commercial complexes in the city at a programme yesterday organised by the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry, an umbrella organisation of developers in the state.

"So the time has come to protect ourselves and we need to take utmost safety precautions in the wake of recent audacious terror attacks," he said.

Sivanandan said developers should not compromise on safety for profits, whatever the project. "Different standards are being adopted for different structures and some developers compromise on safety and security for profits, unaware of the results in case of a disaster," he said.

"Security should also be upgraded at existing structures, whether it is a mall, multiplex, school, hospital, or hotel," Sivanandan said.