A bomb scare disrupted the functioning of the Sales Tax Office at Mazagaon and held the officers to ransom for more than four hours today. At around 12.30 pm, the police control room received a call saying a bomb had been placed on the sixth floor of the building. Police immediately rushed a dog squad and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad and other explosives experts to the spot. The office was evacuated and a search was conducted. Despite an intensive search, no bomb was found. Finally after 5 pm, police gave up the search and declared it as a hoax call.

Tribute to freedom fighters

The 57th anniversary of the Quit India movement on Monday was observed at August Kranti Maidan. Gandhian Dr Usha Mehta led a silent procession of socialists from the statue of Bal Gangadhar Tilak at Girgaum Chowpatty to Gowalia Tank. Dr Mehta and veteran trade unionist Dr Shanti Patel laid a wreath on behalf of the processionists at the martyrs' memorial.

Speaking on theoccasion, Dr Mehta paid rich tributes to the Kargil martyrs and stressed the relevance of Gandhian teachings, pledging not to deviate from the path which paved the way for independence The Mumbai Regional Congress Committee organised a function at the maidan where K C Sahu -- father of Sgt. Raj Kishor Sahu whose helicopter was shot down by Pakistan in the Kargil war -- unfurled the national tricolour. Family members of another martyr from Mumbai, Tukaram Baban Bhoite, were also present at the function.

IBP contributes to Army Fund

All employees of IBP Company Ltd, a Government of India enterprise, under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, have voluntarily contributed to the Army Central Welfare Fund from their salaries. A company spokesperson said the collection from 1399 employees amounted to Rs 4,47,675, which will be handed over to the Mumbai office of the ACWF on August 10.