Minority leaders meet police chief; request protesters to surrender

Leaders of the minority community met Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik today and expressed displeasure over Saturday's violence at Azad Maidan.

Leaders of the minority community met Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik on Monday and expressed displeasure over Saturday's violence at Azad Maidan.

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Condemning the incident, they made a public appeal to those who were part of the mob to come forward and surrender before the police.

Ahead of the police chief's meeting with other senior officers at the Police Club near Azad Maidan, 10 Ulemas met Patnaik and extended support to those who were hurt in the incident.

"It was the first time that the minority leaders came forward and expressed their concerns to us. They also said that they would meet the injured," Patnaik said

The leaders also lauded the police for handling the situation in a balanced manner. "They said our stand was right and the way policemen controlled the situation was good. It was an achievement on our part that we could bring the situation under control and contain the violence from spreading to other parts of the city," Patnaik said.

The leaders had met chief minister Prithviraj Chavan earlier in the day to discuss the matter.

Haroon Mozawalla, member, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, who was present at the meeting said, "We condemn the incident and appeal to everyone to maintain communal harmony."

Patnaik later met all joint commissioners, additional commissioners and the deputy commissioners of police, where they had point-by-point discussion of the incident. "With Independence Day approaching and the prime minister slated to visit Mumbai on August 17 and 18, I have instructed the senior officers that there should be no lapses in security," he said.