If you want to call it our failure, you can: CP on crowd turning violent
The Statesman | 17 August 2024
The commissioner of city police Vineet Goyal today acknowledged the alleged failure of the police to assess the mob, building overtime would turn so violent all of a sudden to create a law-and-order problem on 14 August midnight despite the fact that there was sufficient force deployment, including a deputy commissioner (DC)-level officer at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.
In the same vein, he however vowed that whosoever would be found involved in the rampage would be arrested irrespective of party colours. The police have arrested 24 persons so far in connection with the mayhem and many more would follow, following identification of the alleged miscreants on social media.
“On the night of 14 August, there was adequate force deployment on the streets especially for the security of the women, who had called a programme to be on streets to reclaim the night to protest the alleged brutality at the hospital. Mob was building all the time at various intersections. Such a robust assembly had also taken place outside the gate of R G Kar. It was a leaderless crowd,” said Mr Goyal.
The commissioner said that it is difficult to make an assessment of such crowds. “A senior officer in the rank of deputy commissioner of Police had been deployed there. But he too came under attack from the mob and the police were taken off guard,” he said.
According to Vineet Kumar Goyal, the police did not anticipate that the peaceful agitation would suddenly turn violent.
“That was our mistake. After the Deputy Commissioner (North) got injured after being hit on his head, our men got disoriented and took time to recover. Many police personnel also got injured. If you want to call it our failure, you can do that,” the Police Commissioner said.
Mr Goyal today brushed aside the theory of an alleged attempt by the police to hush up the rape and murder of the junior doctor.
On the filing of a UD case (unnatural death) at first, the commissioner of city police argued that it was a usual protocol for the police anywhere to first file an “UD case” and then based on the investigation further sections are slapped.
“The reports that a UD case is necessarily a suicide case is not true. Do not spread rumours.”
He also said that police were transparent all through the probe and no attempt was made to hush things up as is being alleged.
He also binned the theory that police had told the family members of the deceased that their daughter had committed suicide.
“There was nothing like that ever said by the police. It was from the hospital administration, who may have told the family members but nothing from the police,” Mr Goyal clarified.
He also said various rumours were being spread on social networking sites about the police and analysis was being done based on those rumours. Police have already publicized alleged photos of the miscreants on its facebook page and also other networking sites to share any information on the alleged miscreants, who were found involved in the rampage.
“We need proof. Without any proof we can’t take any action. We have nothing to hide or save anyone. We are waiting for the evidence to strike. We have done the probe to the best of our ability and transparently according to the rule books and now if there is lacunae, the CBI, which is probing the case now, would look into it,” said the CP.