New Delhi: That security would be tight at the Olympic torch relay in New Delhi on Thursday was a given but the government is taking the arrangements to levels never seen in the city before.
The Government on Wednesday issued an advisory for the relay on Rajpath, points of which are bizarre to say the least. Windows and doors of all buildings facing Rajpath will be closed from 1300 hrs IST onwards.
No visitors will be allowed to enter government buildings overlooking Rajpath after 1300 hrs IST. Visitors cannot leave the buildings after 1300 hrs IST until the relay gets over.
Only government employees with identity cards will be allowed to access these buildings or leave these buildings. Only from military, police and security personnel will be allowed access to rooftops and balconies near Rajpath.
Fire safety checks will be carried on all buildings on the route and incinerators will be banned for duration of the rally. Nobody will be allowed to assemble on the lawns of North Block and South Block.
Security agencies are cautious after two days of protests by Tibetan activists. IANS reports about 100 Tibetan activists tried to storm the Chinese embassy on Wednesday but their plan was foiled and 63 of them were detained.
The activists, under the banner of Tibetan Youth Congress, arrived at the embassy at around 1030 hrs IST in two buses. They waved Tibetan and Indian flags and wore yellow jerseys and headbands with messages like 'Stop Cultural Genocide', 'No Olympics in China', 'No Torch Relay in India' and 'Free Tibet'.
Security at the Chinese embassy, which has been fortified for almost a month, was intensified with more anti-riot personnel and concertina wires around the periphery of the complex. After staging a protest outside the sprawling embassy, a group of young Tibetans carried out a car rally around the capital's diplomatic enclave.
Nearly 10 cars, smeared in white and yellow paint with messages like 'Free Tibet', were part of the rally. Activists occupying the small cars were chanting anti-China slogans. However, policemen didn't allow them to stop near the embassy.
Fearing a repeat of the disturbances that marred the torch relay in London and Paris, commandoes from paramilitary forces and thousands of policemen have been posted along the two-kilometre route from the presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.
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