The national capital has been placed on high alert ahead of Republic Day celebrations, following recent intelligence warnings and the Red Fort blast. The Ministry of Defence issued a detailed advisory to law enforcement agencies, emphasizing that evolving terrorist tactics, including sneaking-in operations and stand-off attacks, necessitate heightened vigilance.
According to the advisory, Kartavya Path and surrounding areas will have intensified security measures from January 22 to 29. Several key offices, including South Block, Vayu Bhawan, DRDO Bhawan, and Sena Bhawan, will observe phased closures to facilitate security sweeps and sanitization ahead of the parade and the Beating Retreat ceremony.
Authorities have deployed personnel from the Delhi Police, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, and SSB, alongside the sanctioned 53 additional companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), to secure key locations and ensure smooth crowd and traffic management. Multi-layered security arrangements, area domination exercises, and coordinated intelligence operations have been prioritized.
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Security experts note that this alert is particularly significant due to the new operational patterns revealed by the Red Fort blast, including “white-collar terror” tactics. Brigadier (Retd) B K Khanna stated that these developments underscore the importance of updated counter-terror strategies and constant vigilance during large national events.
A high-level security meeting chaired by Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha brought together senior police officials from Delhi and multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir. The discussions focused on intelligence-sharing, border-point checks, verification of suspicious persons, and coordination among central and state forces.
Officials emphasized that while such alerts are routine, this year’s advisory includes explicit instructions on evolving terrorist tactics. Residents and visitors are advised to cooperate with authorities, follow temporary road closures, and report any suspicious activity to ensure the Republic Day celebrations proceed safely and without incident.
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