A senior IPS official on Friday confirmed that assistant commissioner Shashikant Satao, who is due for promotion, has been recommended by the police department to be the first deputy commissioner of police to head the Quick Response Team (QRT). The post was created on June 15, 2011, but the state is yet to elevate him to the position. Mr Satao is currently posted in the QRT.
Speaking to this newspaper earlier this year, police commissioner Satyapal Singh had mentioned that they had chosen an assistant commissioner of police who is “willing” and “deserving” to handle the post and will be elevated to the position of deputy commissioner. When contacted, a personal secretary to home minister R.R. Patil refused to comment on the issue.
The state had sanctioned the post of a DCP for a unified command and control over all the Quick Response Teams (QRTs) in the city. However, the police department has been making stopgap arrangements with an important policing post in the wake of the bomb blasts and terrorist attacks.
At least four DCPs have handled the additional charge till date. The additional charge is presently with DCP Ambadas Pote of the crime branch. Previously, Mr Pote, Sandip Karnik, M.U. Dalvi and H.K. Waraich had held the additional charge.
The QRT is a group of youngsters who are highly trained in combating terrorist attacks and terminating hostage situations. After the attacks on Mumbai on November 27, 2008, the QRT teams were formed at all the five regions and were meant to be an integral part of the police’s immediate response to terrorist attacks.