The reportedly delayed response by Bandra police to the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan has drawn criticism from senior officials of Crime Branch, who allege that immediate action could have led to the swift apprehension of the suspect. Some internal sources reveal that the intruder escaped due to a lack of coordination and timely alerts to other police units, including the crime branch and the Government Railway Police (GRP).
The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Thursday, yet the crime branch was only informed at 6 a.m., over three hours later. According to a Hindustan Times report a senior officer quoted that had the Bandra police acted promptly by alerting nearby stations, patrolling vans, and beat marshals, the suspect could have been caught during the night when the roads were clear.
After 2-3 hours of the incident police teams arrived at Lilavati Hospital, where Saif Ali Khan was being treated, around 4 a.m., while others visited the crime scene at Bandra West’s Satguru Sharan building. However, critical details, including the First Information Report (FIR) and CCTV footage, were not immediately shared with the crime branch.
The report from the media outlet mentioned, that a retired officer noted that earlier practices involved immediate alerts to all police units, including railway and entry exit points, during high-profile cases.
Allegedly former IPS officer P.K. Jain attributed this decline to changing crime patterns, migration, and the anonymity of outsiders committing offenses. He added that the focus on cybercrime and VIP security has diverted attention from street-level crimes.
Reportedly, retired ACP Sunil Deshmukh echoed these sentiments, stating that reduced police presence on the roads has made it easier for criminals to commit offenses and escape undetected. He emphasized the need for better ground patrolling, which once significantly reduced street crimes.
The Saif Ali Khan attack case has reignited discussions on the efficiency and priorities of law enforcement in Mumbai, calling for immediate reforms to address such lapses.
