November 4: The Mumbai police are likely to introduce changes in the night patrolling following the killing of two policemen by a gang of robbers in north Mumbai early this morning. The decision comes in the wake of a spate of robberies in the suburbs in recent weeks.

The Joint Commissioner (crime) R S Sharma said the police department may increase the number of policemen deployed for night patrol from two to three. Moreover, while it might become mandatory for one member of the patrol party to be in uniform, another policeman will be armed with a weapon, he added.``The issue of arming the policemen during night patrol will be decided in a special meeting on Wednesday,'' remarked Sharma.

The changes in the patrolling pattern assumes significance in the light of the fact that the two police victims in today's attack were not armed except for a stick. The robbers' gangs on the other hand have been using lethal weapons while committing crime.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.