Title - Delhi on high alert ahead of I-Day

A day ahead of Independence Day, Delhi was Tuesday put on high alert with more than 6,000 security personnel being deployed at the Red Fort, from where the prime minister will address the nation, and nearby areas, police said.The security personnel - including those from Delhi Police and paramilitary forces - are to keep vigil at the fort and in central Delhi, an official said.Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dharmendra Kumar said that besides Delhi Police personnel and commandos, security officials in plain clothes and snipers had been deployed around the Red Fort."Since Tuesday midnight, the security will be increased and around 80 companies of security forces (around 6,000 personnel) will be deployed at the Red Fort and the surrounding central Delhi areas," Dharmendra Kumar told IANS."A team of snipers, the army, the National Security Guard (NSG) commandos, along with Delhi Police, will man the fort in a multi-tier security arrangement," he said.Delhi Police and traffic police personnel have spread out across the city to secure important places as well as entry and exit points at "vulnerable locations", the officer said.All highrise buildings, hotels, guest houses, markets and restaurants in Paharganj, Jama Masjid and areas near the Red Fort were under the police scanner, he said.Even rickshaw-pullers and vendors in the area were being asked to keep a lookout for suspicious objects and people, police said.

Dharmendra Kumar said "security is not only limited to the Red Fort and Jama Masjid area, but an elaborate security arrangement has been put in place in the entire capital".

"Intensive checking drives are also on at the airport, railway stations, Metro stations, bus stops, markets, malls and the border areas," he said.

"Every nook and corner and roads leading to the Red Fort are being monitored by hundreds of CCTV cameras. Quick reaction teams will be deployed on Independence Day and there will be surveillance by helicopters. The area will also be a no-fly zone during the function," said the officer.

Since the beginning of last week, enhanced security has been in place in entire Delhi, and on Independence Day (I-Day) Wednesday all the district police force will be on roads and at sensitive locations, he said.

"Normal vehicle movement towards the Red Fort and the walled city will be stopped between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday," said Dharmendra Kumar.

The intensive drives have been conducted for verification of tenants, servants, guest houses, dealers of used scooters and cars, cyber cafe users and cycle sellers across the city, he said.

Earlier report

In view of the warning issued by the union home ministry and a recent spurt in violence by the Maoists, the Chhatisgarh government has stepped up security in the state for Independence Day, top police officials said Tuesday.

Notably, the home ministry recently issued warnings to states facing Maoist insurgency. It said that ultras can execute major subversive incidents around Independence Day, as a spurt in their activities has been witnessed during the last week.

Director General of Chhattisgarh Police Anil M. Nawaney told IANS Tuesday: "The police headquarters has instructed all the district police superintendents to ensure fool-proof security arrangements for VIPs as well as top district administration officials and also to make elaborate arrangements to thwart Maoist ultras' possible bid to perpetrate bloodshed on Independence Day."

According to Additional Director General of police, Chhattisgarh (Naxal Operations) Ram Niwas: "High alert has been sounded, specially in Maoist insurgency-hit districts of the state, as red ultras have executed a number of violent incidents during the last week and chances of a major subversive strike by them on the occasion of Independence Day can not be ruled out."

In view of the high alert, the police have started checking of vehicles while borders of districts have been sealed.

Hotels, food joints, and guest houses are also under the police scanner to thwart any possible bid to smuggle in subversive materials.

Extra police force along with personnel of Central Reserve Police Force are being deployed. In the state capital alone, more than 1,000 extra police and CRPF jawans will guard against any possible subversive activities.

Since the possibility of major violence is high in districts like Sukma, Balod, Gariaband, Kondagaon and Balrampur, special intelligence squads along with large number of para-military forces have been deployed in those districts.

Besides, extra police force have also been deployed in Jagdalpur, Narayanpur, Bijapur and Kanker districts of Bastar region which have seen renewed spurt in Maoist violence in recent weeks.