The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has warned the Delhi Police of a possible terror attack by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and other radical Jihadi groups ahead of India’s 75th Independence Day on August 15th.
On Thursday, the IB submitted a 10-page report, in which it directed the Delhi Police to put in place strict entry rules at Red Fort ahead of Independence Day on August 15.
The IB report referred to incidents like the assassination of Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe and the brutal killings of the Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur and Umesh Kohle in Amravati at the hands of radical Islamists and directed the Delhi Police to keep a watchful eye out for radical organisations and their activities in crowded locations.
The IB report mentioned how by providing Jaish and Lashkar terrorists with logistical support, the Pakistani ISI is encouraging terrorist attacks in India. The report also spoke about the instructions given to JeM and LeT to target powerful leaders and important places.
Prior to Independence Day, the IB has directed the Delhi Police and other states to keep an eye on extremist outfits. The ISI-founded Lashkar-e-Khalsa now includes Afghan fighters as members. This terrorist group is capable of conducting a significant terrorist strike in Jammu & Kashmir, read the report.
It also included recommendations for close monitoring of the Delhi neighbourhoods where Rohingya and Afghan Nationals and Sudanese nationals reside. Additionally, IB instructed the police to be on high alert in order to counter the threat posed by VVIED, sticky bombs, and Tiffin bombs.
The report said that the terrorist groups LeT and JeM may carry out the attack using UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and paragliders and therefore, the BSF has been asked to remain vigilant.
Amid IB warning, Delhi Police to install more than 1,000 live streaming CCTV motion detection for Independence Day security
Following the warning, the Delhi Police have decided to install more than 1,000 Internet Protocol (IP) based CCTV cameras in and around the Red Fort.
According to reports, 80% of the cameras would be IP-based 2-megapixel CCTV cameras and the rest would be 4-megapixel IP-based CCTV cameras. They would be installed in every corner of the venue.
The areas to be put under surveillance are the New Delhi District, North District, South East District, Central District, Security Unit and North West District. A large number of cameras will be installed in the North and Central districts which include the outskirts of the Red Fort, where the Independence Day celebrations are being held.
These sophisticated IP-based cameras will be equipped with features like face detection, motion detection, tripwire, audio detection, intrusion, defocus and abandoned/lost objects. Apart from providing a full HD 1080P live view of the location, it will also share data in real-time for facial recognition servers.
This camera will include a built-in 30X automatic optical zoom lens for enhanced detection, as well as a 12X digital zoom option. The camera must have Infra Red (IR) built-in and cover a distance of up to 150 meters for better viewing at night, the report by the Delhi police read.
Red Fort siege during India’s 71st Republic Day
It may be recalled that last year, during Republic Day, violent rioters claiming to be ‘farmers’ had stormed into Delhi’s Red Fort, assaulted policemen, and vandalized the monument. The rioters who unleashed mayhem on the streets of the national capital and carried out the insurrection against the state by denigrating the national flag have also been caught urinating on the walls of the national monument. In a shocking act, the rioters who had climbed the Red Fort to hoist the alleged Khalistan flag by throwing away the tricolour desecrated the premises by urinating on the monument. 83 policemen were injured during the violence that ensued.
It was also revealed that proscribed Khalistani terror organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) was behind the Red Fort siege and rioting in Delhi. They had even announced a reward of $250,000 for waving Khalistani flags at the Red Fort.
