Hundreds of people poured into Red Fort on Wednesday morning to watch the Independence Day celebrations amid tight security.
Some parents held their kids with one hand and the tricolour with the other.
Right from 5 am, people started walking towards their allotted seats at Red Fort. But they had to pass through a four-layer security ring and walk at least a kilometre to reach the fort, where at 7.20 am Prime Minister Manmohan Singh unfurled the national flag and addressed the country.
Walking with his five-year-old daughter Sakshi and nine-year-old son Abhimanyu, Munirka resident Surjeet Sharma made sure that they reached by 5 am.
“I hired a taxi to reach here. I came with my kids today. My father had taken me to Red Fort to see the Independence Day celebrations 25 years ago,” he said. “I came to ensure that my kids know how we got independence.”
The pleasant weather also added to the zeal of people coming out to celebrate. People from across the country flocked to Red Fort to watch the celebrations. Shrawan Singh Rathore, 45, from Mewar in Rajasthan came with his family.
“I came two days ago with my family at our relative’s place. We were unable to come last year, but we managed it this time. Our grandfather took part in the struggle for independence,” he said.
Despite the tight security, a large number of people turned up. A number of security personnel were posted even as far as a kilometre away from Red Fort. The roads leading to the venue were barricaded a kilometre ahead, and nobody was allowed to enter without a valid pass.
Foolproof security
Besides Delhi Police officials, soldiers of paramilitary forces and the National Security Guard were also deployed near the fort. At least 50 CCTV cameras were also installed in and around the fort.
Snipers were deployed at strategic locations near the fort, especially at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. Special units such as Quick Reaction Teams, Special Weapons and Tactics squad and Vajra personnel were also deployed.
A large number of policemen were posted near Parliament, Indira Gandhi International Airport, railway stations, inter-state bus terminals and Metro stations.