The police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel dotted the Mahim (West) area all over, making sure no untoward incident took place even as over 5,000 people assembled to say final adieu to 1993 blast accused Yakub Memon, before his body was taken to a crematorium in South Mumbai for burial.
The area around Mahim dargah, which is normally abuzz with activities, wore a different look on Thursday as shops and other commercial establishments remained closed.
The police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel dotted the Mahim (West) area all over, making sure no untoward incident took place even as over 5,000 people assembled to say final adieu to 1993 blast accused Yakub Memon, before his body was taken to a crematorium in South Mumbai for burial.
Commissioner of police Rakesh Maria held meetings with Yakub's family members, requesting them to take control of the crowd and prevent sloganeering and mischief-making at any cost. In 1993, Maria, in fact, had led the investigations into the serial blasts case as the then deputy commissioner of police (DCP).
Yakub, brother of prime accused Tiger Memon, was hanged to death on Thursday morning in Nagpur for his role in the serial blasts of 1993 in which 257 people died and hundred of others were injured. Yakub's body, which was brought to the city by his elder brother and cousin, reached Mahim around 1.10pm and was kept on the third floor of Bismillah Manzil building — the home of Yakub's close relative. It is around this time that all lanes leading to the dargah were blocked, except for the one for devotees who were visiting the dargah itself.
The area was guarded by 500 police and RAF personnel, many of them in bullet-proof jackets and armed with batons. A few locals took responsibility of managing the crowd with mikes in their hand restraining people from making any noise or creating obstructions.
Namaz-e-janaza (final ritual prayer) was offered on the road opposite the dargah around 3.30pm. Groups of women stood on both sides of the road and observed the happenings. Although there were spurts of sloganeering against Yakub's hanging, when his body was finally taken to Bada kabristan in South Mumbai around 3.45pm, the crowd was successfully controlled by elders and persons with the mikes through persistent request.
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