Republic Day 2014: This year, woman cop to lead the parade

THANE: This is possibly for the first time that a woman officer has been chosen to lead the Republic Day parade from the front. Assistant police commissioner of the Economic Offence Wing Monika Raut has been given the task as the parade commander. The event will be held at the police sports ground in Saket on Sunday.The programme will begin with the unfurling of the tri-colour at the hands of the guardian minister of Thane district, along with the district collector, police commissioner and other top officials. This will be followed by the national anthem after which a parade will be taken out. More than 450 police personnel and 50 officers will be a part of the parade and a total of 20 platoons have been roped in for the parade. Some of the platoon include SRPF 5, Thane police headquarters, Thane rural, BDDS, separate platoons of men and women home guards, traffic, state excise, civil defense, Thane Municipal Corporation's fire brigade and six other platoons from various schools. According to Wilson Cyril, reserve police inspector, practice for the parade began in December itself. All the vehicles used for the parade undergo proper maintenance work ahead of the parade.This year, a quick response team squad will perform a demo of rescuing school children whose bus has been hijacked by terrorists.Cyril informed that All the necessary vehicles like open jeep for the guardian minister, Riot control Vajra van, water canon, Rapid intervention van, BDDS van, open van for dog squad, wireless van, police ambulance, Fire Brigade's vehicles will be following the parade and giving salute by blowing their sirens.Cyril added that any person in service of police force have to compulsorily attend in the specified area or to the given locations. And they have to mark the attendance and if asked they have to produce it to show it to their seniors as a proof of attending the parade.