Raksha Bandhan celebrated with fervour across Maharashtra

Mumbai: Raksha Bandhan, a festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, was celebrated with traditional fervour across Maharashtra on Thursday.

State Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis celebrated the occasion with women police constables on duty at the Vidhan Bhavan, the state legislature complex in south Mumbai.

The women constables tied rakhis on the wrists of Shinde and Fadnavis.

In neighbouring Thane city, several programmes were organised to celebrate the occasion.

Members of different voluntary organisations tied rakhis to the inmates of the Thane Mental Hospital as well as the male staffers of the central jail.

Dr Netaji Mulik, superintendent of the hospital, said the patients were delighted with the gesture.

Thane central jail's superintendent, Harshad Ahirrao, said the staff at the prison were overjoyed as they did not miss the festival despite being on duty.

At the Thane Civil Hospital, several NGOs and leaders of political parties distributed fruits to the patients.

The festival was celebrated at all 50 attendance sheds of the workers of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). The female workers at the shed tied rakhis to their male colleagues and other office bearers of the corporation and officials.