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Capital turns into security fortress for I-Day

The capital resembled an impregnable fortress on Tuesday as India's 54th Independence Day celebrations were held amidst a tight security blanket involving the city police, paramilitary personnel and unprecedented air surveillance.

Sharpshooters and commandos maintained a hawk's eye from high-rise buildings and vantage positions all along the VVIP route as also in and around the historic Red Fort from where Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed the nation.

A tight security cordon was thrown around the venue with security personnel frisking each and every person with sophisticated metal detectors at all entry points.

The security even led to some heated arguments between journalists and police officers, with the latter insisting on official accreditation for allowing entry and journalists claiming that the invitations issued by the defence ministry were sufficient.

Indian Air Force helicopters maintained a vigil from the skies even as the air corridors remained closed till the prime minister had finished his address.

The city's police force of more than 55,000 personnel remained on its toes in the wake of last week's arrest of an agent of the Inter-Services Intelligence with a large quantity of explosives and intelligence inputs about possible strikes by terrorist outfits.

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