Mumbai Police to probe inflammatory poem

Mumbai: Mumbai police top brass has ordered an inquiry as to how an “inflammatory” poem was published in the department’s monthly news newsletter. A poem penned by a woman traffic constable described the miscreants behind the August 11, 2012 riots as “snakes” and “traitors”.

Police sources said Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh would himself head the inquiry committee that would go into the circumstances leading to the publication of the controversial poem written by Sujata Patil, a traffic inspector attached to Matunga traffic police, in the police force’s monthly news letter “Samvaad”.

According to sources, Patil will be questioned during the inquiry. Joint Commissioner of Police (Administration) Hemant Nagrale, who is the publisher and chief editor of Samvaad, is also expected to appear before the inquiry committee.

In her poem, Patil has sought to reflect the anger among the city police personnel over the molestation of lady police constables allegedly indulged in by the rioters.

In the riots that had broken out on August 11, 2012 during the protests organised by Muslim organisations in the city against the recent riots in Assam and killings of Muslims in Mynamar, two people were killed, 65 others injured and scores of vehicles were either set ablaze or damaged by the miscreants. Three women constables from the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) were allegedly molested by the rioters.

In her poem published in the police periodical, Patil describes rioters as “snakes” as “rioters” who deserved to have been shot by the police during the riots. The police should have played “goliyon ki holi” (sprinkling of bullets).

Patil said that if the hands of the alleged rioters were chopped off, they would never be able to attack the police again.

Circulated in various police stations across the city where there are 40,000-odd police personnel, Patil’s poem has generated a fierce debate in the city police, civil society and political circles.

Following complaints received from Muslim community members, Maharashtra’s minority affairs minister Arif Naseem Khan asked the city police chief to conduct an inquiry into how the controversial poem made it into the police publication.

Many in the police force and civil society think that the controversial poem should not have been published in the first place. “The editor concerned should have used his discretion to reject this poem. The poem sends a wrong message to the people,” a senior police officer admitted.

However, the publication’s editor Nagrale has defended the author saying that she had no intention whatsoever to offend anyone. He has also gone on record saying that his publication would be Patil’s apology in the next issue.

Given the controversy over the poem, one should not be surprised if Patil is suspended for her act. Similarly, Nagrale will have to face tough questions on how he allowed the publication of the controversial poem.

What has put the police on the back foot is the fact that some social activists are planning to move the Bombay High Court against the author of the poem and editor of the public publication.