Mumbai: Former Punjab police chief KPS
Gill on Monday said that Mumbai police should have led the
counter-offensive during the 26/11 terror attacks last year.
"Mumbai police knew that the financial capital was on
terrorists' target list. Still, the city police could not
prepare itself for such attacks. During the terror attacks
here on November 26, I felt that instead of NSG, the city
police should have led the assault against terrorists," Gill
said.
Gill was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a
seminar on 'Preparedness to fight terrorism' organised by
Mumbai police.
NSG had to take up the charge to neutralise the
terrorists after the Iconic hotels Taj Mahal, Trident and
other places in south Mumbai were attacked on November 26 last
year.
Gill said the first responders should have been the
local police, who should be equipped with modern weapons,
trained and motivated to counter terrorism.
"See how we had fought the terrorists. Punjab has
showed the way to others on to how to eliminate terrorism," he
said.
Gill, who retired in 1995, said before blaming
Pakistan for rise in terror activities, India should set its
own house in order.
"Today, there is a political consensus on corruption
rather than fighting terrorism. Our political leaders have
agreed that it is all right to loot the country to any
extent," Gill said at the seminar.
Seconding his opinion, security analyst Ajay Sahni
said, "It is not just terrorists who are using hawala
transactions to transfer money. It is being used by several
others including corrupt officials and politicians."
Sahni further said India has a flourishing grey market
where one can get smuggled goods easily.
"If this cannot be controlled then how can the police
ensure that one bag of explosives does not get through," Sahni
said.
PTI
First Published: Monday, November 23, 2009, 17:54