Maria was clueless on 26/11: Kamte’s wife

As the Mumbai police exhibits its might at a parade today, a book is alleging the police force ignored crucial information during the terrorist attacks, reports HT Correspondent.

As the Mumbai police exhibits its might at a parade today, a book is alleging the police force ignored crucial information during the terrorist attacks.

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The book, To The Last Bullet, by Vinita Kamte, wife of Ashok Kamte — additional commissioner of police who was killed in the attacks — alleges the police control room did not react to repeated calls for help during and after the shootout in the Rang Bhawan lane.

The control room at Crawford Market was manned by Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria and was the command center of the Mumbai police.

Vinita claims to have exposed Maria’s ‘feigned ignorance’ about the events unfolding in the Rang Bhawan lane. Kamte, Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) Chief Hemant Karkare and Senior Inspector Vijay Salaskar, were killed there.

Maria said, “Whatever I had to say I have already told before the (Ram) Pradhan Committee and the government.”

Vinita’s claims are based on call log details of the control room obtained using the Right To Information. These details were never made public or placed before the judiciary.

She alleges commissioner Hasan Gafoor told Kamte to rush to Trident Hotel. Later, the control room directed him to Cama Hospital. Maria’s response to her on this was ‘I don’t know’. Gafoor was unavailable for comments despite several attempts.

Vinita also writes about how Karkare’s repeated pleas for reinforcements to block the passage of the terrorists fleeing Cama Hospital went unheeded for over an hour. This, Vinita says, gave terrorists Ajmal Amir Kasab and Abu Ismail free access to the lane.

The control room also failed to move the bleeding officers to hospital in time despite several calls from local residents to the control room, the book claims.