World | India
Security tight as major Hindu festival begins
The popular Hindu festival of Ganesha began yesterday in high spirits even as police authorities urged organisers of community festivities to ensure safety of participants.
- By Pamela Raghunath, Correspondent
- Published: 23:47 September 3, 2008
Mumbai: The popular Hindu festival of Ganesha began yesterday in high spirits even as police authorities urged organisers of community festivities to ensure safety of participants.
Following terrorist attacks in other parts of the country, the police here have asked the organisers to install closed circuit TV (CCTV) at community tents visited by thousands to offer respects to the elephant-headed deity.
"CCTVs have been installed at nearly 300 major Ganesh pandals visited by large crowds where police security arrangement has also been increased," Kundan Agaskar, Working President of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samiti, an apex panel of Ganesh mandals, or associations, in the city told Gulf News.
The famous Lalbaugacha Raja Ganesh, where festivities have been celebrated for the last 75 years, in central Mumbai, gets Z-plus category security, he said.
It is followed by the festival spot in Wadala which is the richest in the city with the Ganesha figure is adorned by 44kg of gold jewellery and 140kg of silver ornaments.
With security in sharp focus, more trained volunteers have been assigned round the clock at the festival sites where visitors have been asked to bring their offerings on a plate with coconuts broken outside the venue.
Volunteers are equipped with mobiles and wireless sets to control the crowds and would be on the alert to watch over suspicious activities.
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