Mumbai police bought luxury cars not new weapons

[OhioChick]

Source: Times of India

30 Nov 2008, 0402 hrs IST

MUMBAI: A multi-agency operation may have managed to make Mumbai terror-free but the last few days have exposed the incapability of Mumbai Police to tackle terrorism.

Experts feel it would be unfair to blame that entirely on the cop on the street, but we should look at what the government has done to equip the force to take on terrorists.

The government has promised to make Mumbai a safer place every time the city has faced terror. Senior ministers have repeatedly stressed that the force would be modernised and equipped with machines that would allow it to return terrorists' firepower. But most of those promises have remained on paper, even a cursory glance at the last few years' budgetary provisions reveal.

Records show that the government has spent Rs 940 crore on "modernisation'' in the last eight years. But most of the money has been used for construction of new police stations, administrative buildings and buying luxury sedans for senior IPS officers. "We had adequate funds but never upgraded our firepower to tackle terror attacks. That was why we were helpless when terrorists attacked Mumbai on Wednesday,'' a senior IPS officer said, adding that 60% of the Rs 940 crore was spent on buildings and cars and very little on improving mobility or upgrading weapons and ammunition.

Officials say the home department's focus is on procuring luxury vehicles and accessories for top officers. Maharashtra has 22 additional DGPs and four DGPs. Every one has a luxury sedan. IGPs and SPs too have modern cars at their disposal and at least 20 such cars are at the disposal of the deputy CM himself. Some of them are used by him, the remaining are used by his staff. "Chinese-made beacons worth about Rs 30,000 had been fitted on many of these vehicles but could not be replaced after they stopped working as there was no warranty,'' an official added.



Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai_police_bought_luxury_cars_not_new_weapons/articleshow/3776792.cms

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Sounds to me...

Like a nice collection of largely incompetent folks at the top.

[Idealism]

2. I can relate to that...

[gratuitous]

3. The parallel will be complete

When Bush comes out to tell the Mumbai police, "Heckuva job, brownies."

[TomInTib]

6. Ain't that the way it works?

Trickle Down

Trust me

Tom

[OhioChick]

8. We know that all too well. n/t

[smitty]

4. Inadequate training and inadequate weapons for the rank and

file. Coupled with an incompetent and corrupt leadership that was more interested in taking care of itself and its perks than protecting the citizens of Mumbai. Result: a two and a half day rampage with hundreds dead and wounded, all caused by ten terrorists. What a disgrace.

[JI7]

5. there is a lot of corruption in India

if anyone here visits india you will probably personal deal with some corruption from officials. most of it is stuff like bribes for small things.

but these things add up.

hopefully the people stop movie star worship and hold politicians accountable.

and one thing that i hope DOES NOT happen is the right wing hindu parties win over this. they will take advantage of this for sure.

[Ian David]

7. If the guy in charge was mayor of New York, he'd run for President! n/t