Tight security in place for BRICS summit

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) Security was beefed up in the Indian capital ahead of Thursday's BRICS summit that will see leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa attend the event at the Taj Palace Hotel here. Around 2,000 Delhi Police personnel as well as elite National Security Guard commandos are keeping vigil on the venue.

Heads of the BRICS countries, Russian President Dimitry Medvedev, Chinese President Hu Jintao, President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa will participate in the summit being hosted by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"A three-tier security arrangement will be in place around the Taj Palace and the venue where these leaders will stay. The outer security will be handed over to Delhi Police and NSG teams, while the second layer will include a team of special officials of Delhi Police, and the third layer will be handled in coordination with Delhi Police top brass officials and embassy officials," said a senior Delhi Police official.

"High security will also be in place along the routes taken by the cavalcade of these leaders who will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," said Dharmendra Kumar, Special Commissioner of Police Law and Order.

The luxury hotel where the four top leaders are to stay has been turned into a virtual fortress.

"The floors above and below the suites where these leaders will be staying have been kept vacant. Sharp-shooters of NSG will be deployed near the Taj Palace as well as on the high rises on the route of their travel," the official said.

Additional Police Control Room vans and ambulances will be deployed near the hotel, the official said.

"We are more conscious about the security of Chinese President Hu Jintao, who arrives here Wednesday as Tibetans have started protesting against his visit," said Sezu P. Kuruvilla, Additional Commissioner of Police.

The official also informed that prohibitory orders preventing the gathering of four or more people have been imposed in New Delhi district area to avoid any untoward incident in the wake of an attempted self-immolation by a Tibetan protester Monday.

"We have deputed a special police team around the Chinese embassy to stop Tibetans who might try to protest there," said Kuruvilla.