Tight security ensures peaceful V-Day in Mumbai

The men in khaki ensured that love did not wilt in Mumbai on Valentine's Day. Almost the entire force came out on the streets on Saturday,keeping a close watch on potential trouble-makers,to give Mumbai's couples an incident-free day, reported the Times of India.

A few days ago, commissioner of police Hasan Gafoor had assured Mumbaikars that officials would not let goons take over Valentine's Day. Anyone threatening couples would be dealt with sternly, he had warned.

The Shiv Sena did resort to a symbolic protest,a few supporters made some noise and burnt a Valentine's Day card near Azad Maidan police station, but the saffron party, too, did not seem to have its heart in spoiling the day.

Policemen were out in heavy numbers, especially outside colleges, malls, theatres and gift shops. Officials said there was heavy bandobast at important junctions and hang-outs.

Joint commissioner of police (law and order) K L Prasad told TOI, "It was a quiet day with the entire police force busy patrolling important places and shops across the city. All this has resulted in no untoward incident taking place."

Deputy commissioner of police (zone X) KMM Prasanna also confirmed that strict vigil was kept at busy junctions. "We have noticed goons using thoroughfares as their routes in the build-up to vandalism," he explained.

However, couples wishing to tie the knot on Valentine's Day were disappointed. The Bandra marriage registrar's office was closed, it being a Saturday, and so no marriage was solemnised there.

Twenty-three marriages were registered there last Valentine's Day; the usual number of marriages taking place there every day vary between three and 15.

Registrar V P Suryavanshi said, "A lot of people wanted to get married on February 14 but we told them no marriage could take place as it was a government holiday. So some of them got married on Friday and 25 to 30 couples will tie the knot on Monday."