Few takers for parade

The memorial parade by the Mumbai Police along Marine Drive to mark the second anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks on the city saw little enthusiasm.

The memorial parade by the Mumbai Police along Marine Drive to mark the second anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks on the city saw little enthusiasm.

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Except those out for their morning walk, few even bothered to open their windows on Friday and support the parade.

Led by Shashikant Mahavarkar, deputy commissioner of police (HQ II), the parade commenced from Trident hotel, one of the targets of the attacks, up to Wankhede stadium.

A contingent of Force One, followed by two contingents of Quick Reaction Teams and the Mumbai police participated in the parade, which also included marksman vehicles, all-terrain vehicles and troop carriers and sophisticated weapons procured post-26/11 .

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, his deputy Ajit Pawar, home minister RR Patil, director general of police D. Sivanandhan and Mumbai commissioner of police Sanjeev Dayal were among the dignitaries who received salute from the parade.

Hundreds of schoolchildren held up a 1.3-km-long banner, which read, “The Great Wall of Mumbai”. However, all this failed to create excitement among Mumbaites.

Some even crossed the road while the parade was on despite measures by the traffic police.

Not just citizens, even some of the police officers, following the parade in their official cars, were seen engrossed in their newspapers.