Police and security forces in Mumbai were on high alert Sunday after deadly bomb blasts in the Indian capital New Delhi, as huge crowds were expected for the final day of an annual Hindu festival.
About 45,000 police, intelligence officers and volunteers will be on the streets to ensure the popular Ganesha celebrations pass off peacefully, the head of Mumbai's anti-terrorism squad, Hemant Karkare, said.
"Maximum security has been deployed. We are fully prepared and we have been briefed them to be on the look-out for suspicious packages," he told AFP by telephone.
The security operation had been described as the most comprehensive the city had seen for the yearly ritual even before Saturday night's blasts in the Indian capital, that killed 20 people and left nearly 100 others injured.