Independence Day: Cops to guard 3,140 trees near Red Fort

After getting inputs from security agencies about high threat perception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this Independence Day, the Delhi police has demarcated and deployed security personnel around 3,140 trees in and around the Red Fort premises as a part of an extensive security cover.

The police has already got these trees trimmed and has installed lights on each tree as per the security cover needed for the Prime Minister’s security during his speech from the Red Fort on the Independence Day. Around 2,400 trees are located inside the Red Fort premises and rest of the trees are located along the periphery of the Fort.

“As a part of an extensive security cover for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s August 15 Independence Day speech, every corner of the Red Fort and its surrounding areas is under police surveillance. Security personnel will be deployed at each tree to rule out any security breach,” said S.B.K. Singh, special commissioner law and order (north).

He added that with the help of panoramic photography, security at 605 balconies and 104 windows of the houses that open towards the Red Fort has been planned. Armed policemen will be deployed at each location.

“Around 9,000 tenants and guests staying at various lodges and guest houses near Red Fort have been identified and their details have noted down for security reasons,” added Mr Singh.

The police said the Red Fort is under security cover around-the-clock. Teams of anti-sabotage and dog squads are regularly monitoring the venue, which is already under surveillance by 500 CCTVs covering every corner. The footage is monitored in real-time from the control room.

“A visitor will be checked by two security personnel simultaneously at each entry gate, one will check the visitor below the belt and other will check above the belt. We have already communicated list of banned items at the venue with the help of the media and social media,” he added.

A senior police official with the intelligence department said the growing menace of ISIS-led terror attacks across the globe has led to an increase in the threat perception of the Prime Minister. Further, the fallout of the Kashmir unrest and the increasing infiltration bids from across the border have also increased the threat perception this year.

The security agencies had intercepted communication about the possible use of drones to breach the Prime Minister’s security cordon during the Independence Day.

In 2014 and in 2015, Mr Modi had snubbed the security cover and chose to directly connect with the people of the nation, without any bullet-proof glass enclosure.