10,000 paramilitary personnel deployed in Delhi ahead of Republic Day

NEW DELHI: In wake of the recent Pathankot attack, the government has laid out elaborate security arrangements ahead of January 26. An additional 10,000 paramilitary personnel have been deployed in Delhi to ensure greater security cover for the celebrations where French President Francois Hollande will be the chief guest.

A total of 50 companies (100 personnel in each company) of paramilitary forces were deployed to ensure security of Republic Day in 2014. The number had been increased to 95 companies in 2015 when US President Barack Obama was the chief guest. This year, it has been decided to deploy 100 companies of paramilitary personnel, the official said.

Delhi has already been put on a high alert after the Pathankot terror attack, following intelligence inputs which suggested that at least two terrorists had entered into Delhi. Days before the attack on the Pathankot air base, central security agencies had reported that a group of 8 to 10 terrorists had crossed Indo-Pakistan border from Pakistan. A similar report from Punjab government had said that at least 15 terrorists from Pakistan had breached the border.