Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil on Saturday kicked off a row when he said "such small incidents happen" with reference to terror attacks in Mumbai.

"Such small incidents happen," was what Patil, who also holds the home portfolio, told reporters, little realising his faux pas.

What led to the controversy are his remarks "bade shahron mein aise ek adh hadse hote rahte hain. Woh 5,000 logon ko marne aye the lekin humne kitna kum nuksan hone diya.

(Such small incidents happen in big cities. They (terrorists) came to kill 5,000 people but we ensured minimal damage)".

Patil was not available for comment, but sources close to him said the senior NCP leader did not mean to downplay the terror attack and that the remarks were being quoted "out of context".

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