Even as the Mumbai Police have drawn up elaborate security arrangements to prevent a repeat of 26/11 terrorist strikes in the city, repeated incidents on the Mantralaya premises — one of the potential targets in the city — indicate glaring lapses in the security drill and call for a major re-think.

According to the police, a dangerous situation arises when politicians enter the premises accompanied by a large posse of party workers or supporters who bypass all security and identification checks. While other visitors are required to queue up and produce photo-identity proof before being frisked and screened by metal detectors, the people who accompany politicians resist any such checks and enter the premises without possessing valid identification proof.

While MLAs and MPs are allowed to bring in a maximum of two guests each, they are often escorted by 15 to 20 persons who cannot be identified. Any attempt to prevent their entry ends up in a standoff between the supporters, their leaders and the police, those in charge of security at Mantralaya said.

“A large security threat is created when these political workers or supporters enter with their leaders. Sometimes people who may not even be with the leaders get in, and any of them could be a security threat,” said a police officer at Mantralaya.

“If we try to assert ourselves, we are threatened with transfers. This fear of transfers always hangs over our head,” the officer said.

“On one occasion, a constable couldn’t recognise an MLA who was sitting in a car with tinted glass, so he tried to look into the car. The MLA immediately lost his temper and complained of misbehaviour,” a police constable said.

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