Eight teams from Mulund, Navghar, Bhandup, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli, Parksite, Pantnagar and Ghatkopar, comprising two police personnel each along with other members of the public played Cricket for Peace at Jolly Gymkhana in Vidyavihar on Saturday morning.

Organised jointly by the Ghatkopar police and Mohalla Committee Movement Trust, the match was held in the memory those who gave up their lives during the 26/11 attack.

“The 26/11 incident has awakened the inter-dependence between the public and the police. This cricket match is a small way to infuse camaraderie that transcends beyond all differences - be it caste, religion, language or gender, and adds up to the realisation that ‘hum sab ek hain’ (all of us are equal),” said Fulsingh Pawar, police inspector (Community), Ghatkopar police station.

While 13 such games have been hosted so far since the trust was formed in 1993, this year the memories of the 26/11 weighs heavy on everyone’s heart, said the mohalla committee members. “The idea of the mohalla committees had arisen after the 1993 communal riots. Since then we have hosted several such events meant to enforce communal harmony. The cricket teams comprise players from various religions and the unity in diversity idiom is practically reinforced rather than being confined to an ideal,” said Jenny Singh, a mohalla committee member.

“Mohalla committees serve to resolve various disputes before they even reach the police station, thereby curbing the pressure that the police face while juggling numerous cases. Thought more people are drawn to the committees during such events, there is a need to widen their membership,” said Singh.