M A I N   N E W S

Mumbaikars brush aside terror threat
Celebrate Eid, Ganeshotsav with pomp & gaiety
Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service

Mumbai, September 11
Brushing aside warnings by the police and the administration about possible terror attacks in the city, Mumbaikars came out in large numbers to celebrate the Ganeshotsav and Eid-ul-Fitr.

Till early this morning, Hindu families were seen bringing home idols of Lord Ganesha for formal installation. Simultaneously, Muslim families were seen wishing their brethren.

In the slums of Mumbai, where members of both communities live cheek-by-jowl, the festive mood was infectious with street-corner orchestras blaring at full blast and revellers dancing on the streets.

Despite warnings that terrorists may strike, nearly one lakh devotees queued up outside the Lalbagchya Raja pandal at Lower Parel in Central

Mumbai on Friday night.

“Luckily, everything is going as per plan. We have been up for 24

hours,” said police constable Pandurang Kadam patrolling outside a cluster of slums at Dahisar in North Mumbai. The entire police force

has been asked to hit the streets till the Ganpati celebrations culminate on September 22.

Elsewhere in Mumbai, the city’s glitterati put out their best foot forward. Bollywood actor Salman Khan was seen celebrating Eid and Ganeshotsav with gusto. Known to religiously install and worship an idol of Lord Ganesha every year, Khan allowed the media to take a peek at him in a celebratory mood.

Of the politicos, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues participated in pooja and arti at his official residence where a small idol has been installed.

The small Jain community too celebrated Samvasari, the end of an eight-day period of fasting and prayers amidst greetings of 'Michhami Dukdam'.

Meanwhile, the police said they had no information on the whereabouts of two terrorists who are believed to have sneaked into Mumbai to carry out terror attacks. Security is tight with people being frisked randomly at Ganesh pandals across the city.