The Delhi Police has been conducting drills as part of the Independence Day celebrations. The dismissed cops were deployed for the security of the Red Fort.
Seven Delhi Police personnel, including constables and head constables, were suspended after a dummy bomb went undetected during a security drill at the Red Fort, ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.
The suspended cops, included constables and head constables, deployed for the security of the Red Fort “due to negligence” in security, ANI reported. Every year, the prime minister addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort after flag hoisting ceremony.
The security drill is being undertaken by the Delhi Police on a daily basis as a part of the preparations for the 79th Independence Day celebrations.
Delhi police told ANI that the drill was conducted by the Special Cell on Saturday, during which they dressed up as civilians and entered the Red Fort premises with a dummy bomb. “At that time, the policemen deployed for the security of the Red Fort could not trace the bomb, due to which they were suspended,” the police added.
In the week leading up the Independence Day, security at the Red Fort has been beefed up with the area being declared a high-security zone. Independence Day marks the occasion when the Prime Minister hoists the Tricolour and addresses the nation.
Meanwhile, a comprehensive security plan has been prepared for the area, ranging from a full-scale census of residents to the deployment of high-tech video analytics and advanced vehicle scanning systems. This year, for the first time, five types of surveillance cameras will be deployed in the days preceding the Independence Day celebrations. This will include headcount cameras, which tell the number of people in a frame and are designed to highlight suspicious objects.
Also read: Local census, hi-tech surveillance for Independence Day event in Capital
In a separate incident, five Bangladeshi illegal immigrants were arrested by the Delhi Police on Monday as they tried to forcibly enter the Red Fort premises. The police arrested all of them, and an investigation has now been launched.
Talking about the arrested people, Delhi Police told ANI, “The age of all of them is around 20-25 years, and they work as labourers in Delhi.” Further, the police also recovered some Bangladeshi documents from them. All the arrested people are now being investigated, police added.
The article originally appeared on Hindustan Times
