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Advani's security upgraded
By Our Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI, JAN. 7. Following specific information from reliable sources _ who had tipped off an attack on the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, prior to her assassination in 1984 _ about an impending attempt on the Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani's life, his security has been stepped up to almost the level of the Prime Minister.
While this is the first time that the security of a Union Minister has been increased to such a level, the measures have been necessitated by reports about plans of militant organisations carrying out strikes in the coming week. The tip-off is believed to have come about three days ago.
Strange as it might sound, this time too the threat, the informer had said, was from some ``insiders''. As such the security was immediately reviewed and most of the personnel deployed with Mr. Advani were replaced as a matter of caution. Even those put on duty with him were ordered to be rotated every eight hours.
As the attack was to have been mounted on either Mr. Advani's Pandara Park residence in New Delhi or his motorcade, security has been stepped up around his residence. All entry and exit points have been put under surveillance.
Though Mr. Advani would still not enjoy the services of the Special Protection Group, the ``Black Cat'' commandos of the National Security Guards who used to cover him earlier have been recalled to throw a ring around him. This is a major step forward as only the Delhi police was providing him security in the recent past following the withdrawal of the NSG in the wake of a Government review last year.
In keeping with the threat perception, the movement of Mr. Advani's convoy would henceforth take place in the midst of a ``route arrangement'' in which personnel of the Delhi police and outside force would cordon off the roads to allow his vehicle and escort cars to pass through without any hindrance. Also, the route would be sanitised prior to the cavalcade's movement.
Besides the tip-off from reliable sources, the intelligence agencies also appear to have intercepted wireless messages of militants about their alleged plans. There are even reports of an 11-member group of Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba militants having sneaked into New Delhi.
New guidelines have been circulated to the Director-Generals of Police and Chief Secretaries of all the States and Union Territories.
It is learnt that the terrorists have been instructed to strike this month itself. The Delhi Police Commissioner, Ajai Raj Sharma, also confirmed that there were reports of an impending terrorist strike.
The security of the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, the External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, and the Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, has also been beefed up.
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