NEW DELHI: Over 10,000 police personnel will be deployed around Red Fort as part of security arrangements for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. Delhi has been put on alert in the run-up to August 15 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation from the ramparts of the historic monument.
Police commissioner Sanjay Arora, in coordination with heads of intelligence agencies and security establishments, is overseeing the final security plan and drills to ensure that a foolproof apparatus is in place.
Special commissioner (law and order) Dependra Pathak said on Monday that all steps were being taken to counter any possible exigency and additional focus was being put on tracking aerial threats. “Technology is being used as a force multiplier,” he added.
Earlier, Arora had issued an order prohibiting the flying of aerial objects like paragliders, hang gliders and hot air balloons ahead of Independence Day celebrations.
Pathak said adequate measures, like keeping tabs on Rohingyas, and enforcing a strict admission process to the venue was also being done in the wake of an intelligence report sent last week. “We have an institutionalised mechanism specifically to monitor Rohingyas. We do that in coordination with the Special Branch,” he added.
Last week, an intelligence agency had provided a 10-page report about Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish and other terrorist organisations planning to disrupt the celebrations. There were inputs of Islamic State-inspired modules intending to carry out strikes with appropriate logistical support.
The report mentioned incidents like the assassination of the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July and the incidents in Udaipur and Amravati, emphasising that extremist groups and their members should be monitored and their presence in crowded places should be prevented through adequate checks.
Police had earlier informed through Twitter that they had designated a 5km radius around Red Fort as a “no kite flying zone”' till the PM hoists the Tricolour. They had also prohibited the use of sub-conventional aerial platforms, like paragliders, paramotors, unmanned aerial vehicles, microlight aircraft, remotely piloted aircraft, hot air balloons, small-sized powered aircraft, and para-jumping from aircraft, among others on August 15.
Meanwhile, Special Cell seized 15 pistols and cartridges from two Punjab-based traffickers. The suspects, Gagandeep Singh and Dilbagh Singh, are being interrogated to ascertain if they were a part of a larger conspiracy. The weapons were procured from Madhya Pradesh.
