Headlines
Delhi on high alert for International Yoga Day
New Delhi, June 20
The national capital has
been put on high alert ahead of Sunday's mega International Yoga Day
event with around 5,000 security personnel to keep a hawks-eye vigil on
Rajpath from early Sunday morning.
A total of 30 companies (over
3,000 personnel) of Delhi Police's special battalions along with other
police personnel, National Security Guard (NSG) commandos, dog squads,
sharp shooters and 18 deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) will be
deputed in the area around Rajpath and Vijay Chowk since 3 a.m. on
Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ministers, foreign diplomats and senior officials will be present at Rajpath for the event.
Intelligence
agencies have warned Delhi Police and other security agencies of a
possible aerial attack, and that banned terror outfits could try to
create trouble during the event.
Following the alert, Delhi
Police banned flying of kites, balloons, gliders and micro-light objects
during the programme. The use of drones has also been banned.
Police
will barricade all eight arterial roads that lead to India Gate on
Sunday. The event begins at 7 a.m., but the participants numbering over
37,000 will begin converging since 5 a.m.
"We have taken proper
steps to ensure safety during the event, to ensure smooth movement of
traffic and to maintain law and order. We will be deploying 18 DCPs in
the areas near Rajpath and Vijay Chowk," Commissioner of Police B.S.
Bassi said.
A senior police officer said that over 300 police personnel in plain clothes will be deputed in the area.
According
to the officer, a three-tier security blanket -- like the one for the
Republic Day parade -- will be in place around the venue.
"We
have installed over 350 CCTV cameras around Rajpath and its nearby areas
to keep strict watch on the movement of people," the official said.
The
areas restricted to the public are: Mother Teresa Crescent, Baba Kharak
Singh Marg, outer circle of Connaught Place between Baba Kharak Singh
Marg and Barakhamba Road, Bhagwan Dass Marg, Mathura Road, Lodhi Road,
Aurobindo Chowk, Safdarganj Road, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Marg, Kautilya
Marg and Sardar Patel Marg up to 11 Murti.
"Only labelled
vehicles of invitees and residents of these areas will be permitted to
enter the area during the programme on Sunday," Special Commissioner of
Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander told IANS.
The 35-minute event
organised by the AYUSH ministry is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on
Sunday. Thousands of school children, members of the armed forces,
National Cadet Corps (NCC), government officials and yoga enthusiasts
will perform yoga asanas at Rajpath.