India | Updated Jun 14, 2009 at 11:52am IST

Gafoor's 26/11 report card cost him his post

Mumbai: Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor was on Saturday removed from his post and given an unglamorous job--the latest official to be shunted out for failing to protect the city during the terrorist attacks last year.

Ghafoor was indicted by the Ram Pradhan Committee's report on security lapses during the terror attack. Gafoor has been posted as director general of the Maharashtra Police Housing Corporation, a lackluster assignment.

The committee report, which will soon be tabled before the Maharashtra Assembly, is believed to have come down heavily on Gafoor. It says Gafoor failed to take charge of the situation during the terrorist attacks, strategise and take decisions.

He did not follow the standard operating procedures of Mumbai Police for emergencies and he did not visit sites and set up field HQs as was required

Gafoor stayed put outside Trident-Oberoi for all three days of the attack, says the report. He did not visit the police headquarters for updates on the situation and did not hold regular meetings with field officers to take decisions and strategise.

There was a huge communication gap between Gafoor and his officers, says the report.

Former police officers though say Gafoor’s transfer won’t improve the police’s competence. “This transfer is not a solution. Today what has happened is that the force has completely been politicized and criminalized,” said Subhash Suradkar, a former IPS officer.

D Shivanandan, a senior IPS officer, will be Mumbai’s new police chief.

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