``Over 250 killings and 200 extortion cases in nine months. Four major gangs and several splinter groups. Is it a situation where you can let go of gangsters like Sada Pawle? If this report makes us look like villains, so be it,'' said a senior police officer who belongs to the first group. He is not the only one who is still willing to meet the gangsters head-on, report or no report. He is supported by several others who do not agree with Judge Aguiar on several counts. For one, they can't digest the fact that the judge has raised doubts about SadaPawle's notoriety. ``If Sada Pawle was not notorious then Arun Gawli is a saint,'' said an officer.

``Pawle and Tandel's notoriety was not the subject of enquiry, the manner of encounter was. Can it be established without reasonable doubt that Pawle was killed in some other way?'' added another officer. They hope that they would be able to question all these technicalities in the High Court where the report has been submitted. ``Judge Aguiar's report is not the final word. It can be argued. For us the High Court's verdict will be the last word,'' said a senior crime branch officer preferring anonymity.

However, the other group feels that the report has demoralised the police force. ``The next time we are blamed for allowing people to become sitting ducks for gangsters, we will throw up our hands and cite judge Aguiar's findings,'' said a senior officer. Though former police commissioner R D Tyagi, refused to comment on the report, he felt that the findings would ``certainly demoralise the police force.''And demoralisation is already setting in. Several police teams that were on the trail of the dreaded gangster, Feroze Konkani, are now planning to keep a low profile for some time. ``We cannot take any risks for some time at least,'' said an officer who was after Konkani ever since his escape.

There are others who fear that Konkani's reign of terror will continue unabated now. ``He is safe in the knowledge that his supporters in a prominent political party will file a case if he happens to get killed in a police encounter,'' said an officer. ``Besides Konkani other equally dreaded gangsters would also get a breather,'' he added.

Joshi, Thackeray justify encounters

Chief Minister Manohar Joshi today said encounters were justified when they were carried out in unavoidable circumstances and as a self-defence by the police personnel. Replying to a question about the Justice Aguiar report, Joshi said HC is yet to give its decision and during that time the state government will make its stand clearbefore the Chief Justice. Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray said the Justice Aguiar report demoralises Mumbai police. ``I'm all for encounters, there's nothing wrong with it. Gangsters who are a burden on society are free to kill people and they, in turn, are saved by the so-called human rights organisations,'' he pointed out.