Unprecedented security for Obama’s visit
Monday, 19/01/2015
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New Delhi: A seven-layer security ring will be thrown around the VVIP enclosure on Rajpath for the Republic Day parade to be witnessed by US President Barack Obama and the airspace over the area would be monitored by a radar to be set up.
This will form part of the planned unprecedented ground-to-air security drill that will turn the national capital into an impregnable fortress during the visit of Obama as Chief Guest for the main Republic Day celebrations on January 26--the first by any American President. A multi-agency control room will monitor the surveillance operations in every area of the national capital which has been put on the highest alert because of the visit of the US President. Obama is arriving here on January 25 on a three-day visit to the country.
Threat perception is the highest for the event but there is no specific intelligence input about a possible terror strike, officials engaged with the preparations said today while giving a broad overview of the security drill. American Secret Service personnel, who have landed in the capital and Agra, have already conducted a preliminary survey of the routes to be taken by the US President and Rajpath where Obama will be seated along with President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hosts of other VVIPs to watch the annual parade.
There is a possibility that the chief guest, for the first time, will arrive at the venue separately rather than with the President in his bullet proof limousine. If he does come with the President, he will be possibly the first US President not to travel in his own highly-secured ‘Beast’. A seven-layer security ring will be thrown around the VVIP enclosure with elite Special Protection Group and Secret Services personnel forming a part of the Close Proximity ring, official sources said, adding a radar has been exclusively kept for monitoring air space over the VVIP enclosure.
Central Security agencies have brought in their Concealed Anti-Terrorists (CAT) squads to the national capital who form part of teams that carryout surprise checks at hotels, guest houses and vulnerable localities. The ITC Maurya hotel, where the US President will be staying, has been taken over by the Secret Services personnel and multi-frequency control room manned by the US officials have been set up. American security personnel will also be manning the control rooms set up to watch footage of nearly 15,000 CCTV cameras installed in the capital. PTI
No terror attack during Obama’s India trip: US warns Pak
Washington: Ahead of President Barack Obama’s India visit, the US has asked Pakistan to ensure that there is no cross-border terror incident during the trip and subtly warned of “consequences” if any such attack is traced back to the country.
Obama will travel to New Delhi later this week to attend the Republic Day parade on January 26, the first US president to do so.
The US and Indian security agencies are taking extra care for Obama as he will be on an open air platform at Rajpath for more than two hours, witnessing the parade.
It is believed that the US has asked Pakistan to ensure that there is no cross-border terrorism or even attempts of it during Obama’s trip. Pakistan has been subtly warned of the “consequences” of any terrorist attack during Obama’s trip if traced back to their country, sources said.
