Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, unfurled the tri-colour and attended a colourful parade at the arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (erstwhile Red Road), as West Bengal joined the nation in celebrating the 72nd Independence Day. Ministers, senior bureaucrats and police officers, armed forces officers and members of the diplomatic corps also took part in the main function in the city. CM also conferred the Chief Minister’s medal to police officers.
Various wings of the police and NCC cadets participated in the parade, as a helicopter showered petals and folk dance troupes from across the state depicted diverse cultures. In a first, police personnel from Odisha took part in the parade. Riding their blue-white and pink-black scooters, the newly formed special all women patrolling team from the Kolkata Police earned applause on their maiden presence in the parade. Constituted in 2018, the team christened “winners” has been primarily trained to assist their male counterparts in helping women complaining of molestation or eve-teasing.
