Every time our OLD CITY is tense, our Police people assure us that they are on full alert. They particularly mention the Friday Prayers and assure us that they are taking every precaution to ensure that the Friday congregations end peacefully, and that they are deploying sufficient numbers of constabulary or others to ensure that the mischief makers do not have an opportunity to indulge in their hobby.

Last week the City was tense with demonstrations, bandhs, etc as an aftermath of the arrest of Owaisi. We were confident that our Police, always alert to prevent disturbances by the diehard followers of Owaisis and MIM, would ensure that nothing untoward happens. But alas, our confidence in our Police in this instance, has been badly shaken. There was stone throwing on a large scale and some were hurt.

When the Police are so alert, we assume that they would do everything to ensure that lethal missiles like stones are not ready at hand. But it transpires that there was a huge heap of rubble with kankar etc in it, which was very handy. WHY DID OUR POLICE NOT SPOT THE READY AVAILABILITY OF STONES, AND WHY DID THEY NOT ARRANGE TO REMOVE THE HEAP?