Securitymen on toes in Mumbai as governor unfurls tricolour
By IANSTuesday, January 26, 2010
MUMBAI - Locks on terraces of tall building, a ban on paragliding and over 42,000 policemen keeping vigil… these were some of the security measures enforced in Mumbai for Republic Day Tuesday when Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan unfurled the tricolour at the official state function.
The governor took the salute at the function held at the historic Shivaji Park grounds and delivered his Republic Day address. Present on the occasion were Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Mumbai Mayor Shradhha Jadhav as well as several ministers, senior bureaucrats and officials.
Home Minister R.R. Patil was in the Maoist stronghold of Gadchiroli in eastern Maharashtra where Maoists had called for a two-day shutdown. He unfurled the national flag amid some tension in the area, where 17 policemen had been killed in a guerrilla ambush last October.
In the state capital, however, the atmosphere was different.
With offices closed for the day, the crowds in trains and buses were mainly tourists, both domestic and foreign, as well as locals out to enjoy themselves.
In an indicator of high confidence levels among Mumbaikars, thousands of school and college students were out since 7 a.m. in full strength across the city to take part in unfurling the tricolour and singing the National Anthem.
Similar functions were held in other cities and all district headquarters of the state, schools, colleges and housing complexes.
Police Commissioner D. Shivanandhan said that though there are no specific intelligence inputs, Mumbai Police was anticipating all kinds of possible attacks and taking suitable precautions.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Himanshu Roy explained that the ban on paragliding was contemplated following information about the purchase of a large quantity of paragliding equipment by some anonymous people.
The ban - valid for the next two weeks - would also include other low-flying aircraft that cannot be detected on radar.
