New Delhi, July 18 (Inditop.com) Nearly 2,000 police and intelligence personnel were busy in the national capital Saturday giving final touches to security for US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who arrives here Sunday afternoon for a two days.
According to Delhi Police, Clinton has been given top diplomat-level security and will travel in a bullet-proof vehicle piloted and escorted by security officials.
The Taj Palace Hotel, where she will stay, was nothing short of a fortress with security agencies busy screening guest lists and hotel officials.
“Security agencies carried out screening of the hotel officials who will be directly or indirectly involved in serving her. The guest list was also screened,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
US intelligence officials have taken over the entire floor on which clinton’s room is located. The location of her room is of course secret.
“The hotel area has been sanitised and the floors above and below her room have been vacated,” the official said.
From the Indian side, around 2,000 police and intelligence personnel besides commandos form the security cover for Clinton, who started her India visit in Mumbai Friday night.
“Clinton’s securitymen had arrived in Delhi more than a week ago to finalise her security,” the official added.
Security arrangements are being made at several places in Delhi and national capital region (NCR) that she will visit.
Hundreds of policemen and women, including plainclothes personnel, along with intelligence officials have been maintaining high-level security blanket around those places.
Elite National Security Guard (NSG) commandos will be deployed at some locations in the city, as will Delhi Police and US intelligence officials.
Delhi Police and Intelligence Bureau are working in close coordination with US officials to ensure foolproof security.
“A multilayer security cover will be in place and so far there is no threat whatsoever. All security measures have been taken in consultation with officials of US intelligence agencies,” a Delhi Police source said.
However, details of security preparations are confidential and officials were not ready to comment extensively.
In fact, ask hotel officials what will be on Clinton’s menu and they say they are not authorised to comment.
Security agencies have also placed bomb disposal squads, spotters and dog squads, and anti-sabotage teams in different parts of the hotel in the diplomatic area of Chanakyapuri in the heart of the capital.
“Many commandos and intelligence officials will be in plain clothes and the hotel security staff has already been briefed. The instructions from security agencies have been passed on to them,” the security official said.
The security agencies are setting up an access control room to update all relevant information.
On Sunday, Clinton will visit the ITC Greens Building in the satellite town Gurgaon and attend an agriculture event at the Pusa Institute in central Delhi. She will visit Delhi University in north Delhi Monday.
On Monday she will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani. There will be a media interaction too that day.
Clinton last visited the Indian capital in 2000 when she accompanied her husband, then president Bill Clinton, and they stayed at the Maurya Sheraton Hotel.
