Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria today suspended two police officers for their "inefficient" handling of the situation preceding and after the murder of a local Shiv Sena leader in suburban Malad earlier this week.
The move comes two days after the two officers, along with three others, were transferred to low-profile departments.
"Assistant Police Inspector Prasad Pitale and Police Sub Inspector Nitin Khairnaar, who had been transferred to Local Arms branch from Dindoshi police station, were today suspended for being negligent while performing duty before, during and after the fatal assault on local Sena leader Ramesh Jadhav," said Additional Police Commissioner Kishore Jadhav.
Apparently irked over the incident, Maria had on Thursday transferred Assistant Police Commissioner Rajendra Kotak, Dindoshi police station inspector Arun Rajane. Assistant police inspector Pitale and sub-inspector Khairnar were transferred to Local Arms branch, while the police station in-charge and senior inspector Subash Dafale was shifted to Protection and Security wing.
According to police sources, Maria was not happy with the fact that Pitale and Khairnar, having knowledge about the brewing tension in the area days before the incident, did not initiate any preventive action.
"The fight between the two groups could have been thwarted. Then there would not have been any fatal assault. After the incident also, they could not handle the things properly," said another officer.
On Tuesday night, local Shiv Sena leader Ramesh Jadhav was stabbed to death outside his house after he intervened in a fight between two groups.
Tension prevailed in Malad and Dindoshi areas after the murder, as Sena workers held demonstrations, demanding immediate arrest of the accused.
Five alleged attackers, including a minor, were arrested yesterday.
