Homework done,cops ready for D-day

Another officer who took part in the training and briefing,which went on for about a month,said ground-patrolling officers have been advised to shoot anyone who “shows signs of having concealed any kind of weapon,or is a possible threat”.

Such shoot-at-sight instructions are normally reserved for police personnel posted in the Prime Minister’s security.

According to the officer,the policemen were re-trained in handling latest rifles available with the Delhi Police. “Frisking at entrances to the vicinity will be severe,” the officer said. “In addition to cameras,we have been instructed not to allow even pens,mobile phones,and keys.”

An additional 15,000 police and paramilitary personnel will be on duty besides those posted in Delhi Police’s Central and New Delhi districts. Snipers on high-rise buildings,mobile hit teams,teams armed with anti-aircraft guns,quick reaction teams and sharpshooters will cover the parade route from Rajpath to the Red Fort,Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal said.

The parade route will be monitored by 105 CCTV cameras.

Dadwal said 192 companies — more than 15,000 personnel — of police and paramilitary personnel are being deployed on the parade route. “There will be pickets and extensive checking everywhere,” he said.

Dadwal said the emphasis is on anti-sabotage checks,access control measures and intelligence coordination.

The ground-to-air security apparatus was planned in the backdrop of intelligence inputs about Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba acquiring more than 50 paragliding equipment which could be used to launch an air-borne suicide attack,a top officer said.

Air Force helicopters will keep a watch in and around Rajpath,and all along the parade route,the officer said.