Unsung Heroes

Last week Bombay bid adieu to its favourite god, Ganesh amidst great fervour and merriment. And top notch security. After the five bombs that ripped across Delhi on Sept 13, Bombay was put on high alert.

The cops in the city now had their full hands fuller. For the smooth visarjan of Lord Ganesh, Bombay’s administrators rope in the municipal corporation, the traffic police, police and other disaster management agencies. But this year the police not only had to supervise over 3 million devotees that put gather at the various immersion sites but also keep an eye on the terrorists.

The cops finally ended their duty for the day the next morning at 0830 hrs only after Lalbaugcha Raja completed its 22hr journey. No terror attacks, no molestations, no other crime incidents. Another successful day in the office for the cops.

I think our police force is the most ridiculed and looked-down-on agency. Yet it is one of the most efficient agencies. Cops accept bribes only because you offer it to them. They are only as corrupt as you make them. But they are efficient when it matters the most. How else can you explain a 1000 policemen overlooking the security of 1 million devotees that gather to bid farewell to just one Ganpati idol – the Lalbaugcha Raja.

It’s not as though I am in love with the police or am getting paid by the police department but I just wanted to bring to light a mammoth effort put in by these men that goes unnoticed everyday. Not giving them credit when it’s due, that’s what pisses me off.

Before I get to preachy on an already very boring website, I just want to sum up in the words of my friend, Ariz Chandra, from Aaj Tak news, “The police has to get it right every second of the day, whereas a terrorist has to get it right only once in his lifetime. Every second that an incident does not take place it’s a victory for the police.”