Delhi becomes a fortress

Even as heavy security arrangements have been made for the stay and movement of foreign dignitaries participating in the BRICS summit here on Thursday, a large number of Tibetan protesters were arrested from different parts of the city and sent to Tihar Central Jail on Wednesday.

The area surrounding Taj Palace where leaders from China, Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa would attend the event has been turned into a fortress with nearly 8,000 police personnel forming part of a three-tier security cordon. While police teams have been deployed at the traffic junctions, barricades have been erected on the arterial roads to prevent any intrusion.

As part of the arrangements, Sardar Patel Road from Dhaula Kuan to Panchsheel Marg will remain closed for general traffic between 8.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. An arterial road near Battle Honours Army Mess would also be closed. The stretches affected by VVIP movements would be Sardar Patel Marg, Mother Teresa Crescent, Kautilya Marg, Panchsheel Marg, Teen Murti Marg, South Avenue, Rajaji Marg, Safdarjang Road, Akbar Road, Tughlak Road, Krishna Menon Marg, 30 January Marg, Aurangzeb Road, Prithviraj Road, Rajesh Pilot Marg, Amrita Shergil Marg, Subramanian Bharti Marg and those roads in the vicinity.

In the wake of self-immolation by Tibetan activist Jamphel Yeshi at Jantar Mantar and subsequent protests, the Delhi Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code to prevent such protests.

Youdon Aukatsang, a member of Tibetan Parliament in exile, on Wednesday alleged that a large number of protesters were arrested at Jantar Mantar, whereas several others were arrested near Oberoi Hotel and from outside the United Nations office in Lodhi Estate. Tenzin Tsundue, a Tibetan writer, was taken into preventive custody while he was participating in an event at the India Habitat Centre on Tuesday night. “Tibetans living in the Majnu-Ka-Tila area are virtually under a house-arrest. They are not being allowed to move freely. The Tibetan Youth Hostel has been sealed,” she said.

Source: The Hindu