NEW DELHI: Security agencies have shown major safety concerns considering kites ‘hovering’ over the Red Fort during the Prime Minister's address a threat to Prime Minister’s security.
Such incidents have already taken place last year when a kite was found hovering over the Red Fort during the Prime Minister's address after which the matter was discussed at a top-level meeting with all the security agencies. This year, all the defence forces chief have been asked to brief the security personnel to not click any selfies during the Independence day function as they did last year. The forces have reportedly told their staff that any personnel if found clicking pictures during the event will be suspended with immediate effect.
Special Protection Group (SPG) which protects VVIPs like Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi, Ex Prime Ministers etc have asked Delhi Police and other security to stress upon the need for specialised capacity building to tackle the threat from such flying objects citing kite hovering incident. “Director SPG AK Sinha expressed the need for foolproof security arrangements on the VIP routes and covering every high rise features by security deployment. He suggested that every building should have buddy deployment,” an official communication accessed by The New Indian Expressquoting Director SPG AK Sinha says. “Citing the instance of a kite hovering over the Red Fort during the Prime Minister's address last year, he stressed on the need for specialised capacity building to tackle the threat from flying objects,” AK Sinha said.
According to the SPG it has been observed that many security personnel which includes para-military personnel lose focus and are found clicking selfies during high-security programme. “He (Director SPG AK Sinha) also shared his observation that many security personnel lose focus as the function progresses and tend to become like ordinary spectators listening to the speech and even taking selfies. Therefore, they need to be properly briefed to desist from such conduct,” communication says.