M A I N   N E W S

Capital turns into fortress
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Aug 15 — Even as the fear of militants’ strike on VVIPs during the Independence Day celebrations in the Capital is over with no untoward incident during the Prime Minister’s address to the nation, the Delhi police has decided not to lower its guard in the metropolis.

“The threat of attack on VVIPs during the Independence Day celebrations is over, but we are not taking any chance as anti-national elements could try to create problems in crowded places like railway stations, bus stands, etc,” a senior Delhi police official told The Tribune soon after the main function at the Red Fort ended.

A constant vigil is being maintained at all exit and entry points of Delhi, at railway stations and the Inter-State Bus Terminus and the city police force will continue to be alert to thwart any mischief by anti-national elements, he said.

The Delhi police, which had been on high alert for the past 15 days in the wake of intelligence inputs of possible terrorist attack during the Independence Day celebrations, had made an elaborate and tight security arrangements in and around the Red Fort from where the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, unfurled the Tricolour and addressed the nation.

The Capital resembled an impregnable fortress with the deployment of 55,000 Delhi police personnel, paramilitary and personnel of other security agencies.

About 12,000 security personnel were deployed in and around the Red Fort and securitymen perched on the top of specially erected platforms maintained strict vigil on the visitors.

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.