In light of the rising number of crimes in the state, chief secretary Jayant Banthia called a meeting of all heads of security in the state on Saturday at the World Trade Centre in Cuffe Parade to review the existing security situation.
The meeting was attended by the home secretary, additional chief secretary for home, chief security commissioners of Central and Western Railway Protection Force (RPF), additional director general and police commissioner of Government Railway Police (GRP), director general of home guards, divisional heads of RPF, GRP and deputy commissioners of Mumbai police.
According to an officer who attended the meeting, Mr Banthia stressed on security for women and asked the officers to maintain an extra vigil as the recent spate of crimes against women had sent out wrong signals, not only in Mumbai, but also across borders. “The chief secretary wanted every head of the department to deliver as so many things are going wrong in the state,” said the officer, adding that this security review prior to the festival season would help better coordination between various security agencies.
Analysts say recent crimes against women such as the assault on an American girl in a local train, the rape attempt in a local train near Mahalaxmi station, the acid attack on Priti Rathi at Bandra station have sent shockwaves among the people. “The state machinery was already drawing flak in the backlash of the Dr Dabholkar murder case, in which all the perpetrators are still out of the police reach. The gangrape of the photojournalist in the city has only added to the woes of the government,” said another official who attended the meeting.
The impact of this meeting was instantly visible at all railway stations on Saturday, where GRP and RPF jawans were found patrolling railway premises. Stations were cleaned up, trains were punctual and hawkers were kept at bay from the railway premises.