Source: The Sangai Express / PTI
New Delhi, April 04:
In view of concerns over safety of the Olympic torch relay here, an impregnable security umbrella will be thrown along the stretch of the route by which the flame would be taken on April 17.Thousands of Delhi Police personnel will be mobilised to man the three-km route between Vijay Chowk and India Gate and access will be strictly controlled to prevent any disruption of the event, police sources said here today.
Anti-terror and anti-sabotage measures will be put in place to ward off any untoward incident.Tibetan refugees in the capital will be particularly under strict watch to ensure that they do not indulge in any disruptive activity.
"All necessary precautions will be taken to ensure smooth conduct of the relay.
Anti-terror and access control measures will be put in place," Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said.
"Spectators will be closely watched and frisked," he said.
China has been worried that Tibetan refugees might try to disrupt the event and has conveyed its concerns to the government here.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday sought to allay China's concerns by assuring his counterpart Yang Jiechi that appropriate measures will be taken to make the event a success.
The issue of security for the torch has been discussed at the high levels in the government.
National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta held meetings with top officials of Delhi Police, Intelligence Bureau and other agencies during last one week to discuss the issue.
In view of the concerns, the route for the relay on April 17 has also been shortened to three kilometers from nine kilometers as planned earlier.