Water protest became law order issue: top cop

In Mumbai on Thursday, there were violent protests and chaos over water. One person was killed in a police lathicharge outside the BMC headquarters where hundreds were protesting a cut in water supply. The man who led the agitation, Congress leader and Maharashtra Revenue Minister's son Nitish Rane's son was among those arrested. Mumbai Additional Commissioner of Police, R K Padmanabhan, joined CNN-IBN to try and explain the police' point of view.

CNN-IBN: A police lathicharge against a group protesting against a water supply cut...was there no other way for the police to control this crowd?

R K Padmanabhan: Well unfortunately this is not the way only way out. The lathicharge took place because the mob turned unruly and the person who died did not die because of the lathicharge.

CNN-IBN: At the end of it sir, it's an issue that effects all.

R K Padmanabhan: Well you must understand that when we - in the course of duties - face various morchas, various demands various and protests, we go by the law, the rules governing the behaviour of these crowds on the road, strictly speaking the demands. The nature of the demand is not the priority on the mind of the lawkeepers when it breaks downs and becomes a mob where there is no purpose. That is what happened today.

CNN-IBN: Nitesh Rane - is he also a part of this protest?

R K Padmanabhan: This crowd which was protesting, which became unruly and later tried to enter the BMC was led by him. He was the leader of the entire mob and that's why he is also being held responsible.

CNN-IBN: Law and order versus a civic issue. How do you respond to this?

R K Padmanabhan: It is a civic issue, which was unfortunately made into a law and order issue by the people who came in the course of the civic issue. We didn't make it a law and order issue.

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#Mumbai water crisis #BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation #Mumbai water protests