NEWS

Three-tier security for torch relay in Delhi

Source:PTI
April 16, 2008 03:34 IST

Not leaving anything to chance, authorities will put in place a three-tier security ring during the Olympic torch relay on Thursday here as the Chinese Ambassador met the Delhi Police chief to discuss the arrangements.

Rajpath will be under hawk-eyed vigil with the security ring including Chinese commandos, for the event to avoid protests by Tibetans.

The Chinese personnel, drawn from the Olympic Holy Flame Protection Group, will form the inner circle of the ring while the commandos of the elite National Security Guards will provide close proximity security for the torch relay.

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yan today met Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal and discussed the security arrangements made for the April 17 Olympic torch relay in the wake of protests by Tibetans.

Yan drove to the Police Headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday and discussed with Dadwal the arrangements made by police with respect to the arrangements made for the event, sources said.

The meeting lasted for about 30 minutes and the Commissioner is understood to have briefed the Chinese envoy about the arrangements made by security establishment for the event, they said.

The outer circle will comprise security personnel from Delhi Police and CRPF as the other NSG commandos will keep a close vigil along the stretch for the relay run, a senior police official said.

They said about 15,000 personnel will be on the streets for the event and the security will be on the lines of arrangements for the Republic Day, the official said.

In the wake of disruption of torch relay in Paris and London, the Tibetan refugees in the city will be particularly under strict watch to ensure that they do not indulge in any disruptive activity.

The security establishment is leaving no chance and are constantly reviewing the scenario, the official said, noting that they are tightening the security on Rajpath in the wake of a group of Tibetans managing to take their own torch relay on the same route of the Olympic flame run, on Tuesday afternoon.

The Union Home Ministry convened a high-level meeting this morning to give last minute touches to the security arrangements, with just two days left for the event.

Source: PTI
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