A scene of chaos unfolded at the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s office on Tuesday after people created a ruckus over alleged police mismanagement during the Janata Darbar. The incident took place when a large number of citizens had arrived to attend the public grievance session initiated by the Commissioner.
Last week, the Police Commissioner had launched the Janata Darbar with the aim of hearing and resolving issues faced by Mumbai residents. On August 12, the second session of the programme, a huge crowd gathered outside the Commissioner’s office with their complaints.
Despite the high likelihood of heavy public turnout, the police reportedly made no special arrangements to manage the crowd. This lack of preparation led to disorder at the entrance gate, where people began protesting after being stopped from entering.
As per the police’s own announcement, no prior appointment or token was required to attend the Janata Darbar. However, officers allegedly failed to take adequate measures for crowd management. At around 4 pm, when people tried to enter, they were held back outside the gate, prompting agitation. In the commotion, the entrance had to be closed temporarily.
The situation remained tense for nearly an hour, requiring a large police presence and considerable effort to bring it under control. Eventually, attendees were allowed in one by one.
The incident has raised a key question: when the programme does not require appointments or tokens and the possibility of a large crowd was clear, why were necessary arrangements not made in advance?