US secretary of state John Kerry changed three hotels in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: The state police had taken unusual measures for the security of US secretary of state John Kerry and UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon. For Kerry, Gujarat police and US security agencies had together chalked out a strategy to book rooms in three hotels in the city. Sources in the city police said only guards deployed for personal security of Kerry knew in which hotels he would have breakfast, lunch or sleep.

Even the hotel staff were not informed till the last minute about Kerry's arrival. "John Kerry used to take breakfast in one hotel, lunch in another and sleep in a third hotel," said a senior police official.

The same strategy was adopted for the security of UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon.

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"The country was on high alert after central intelligence agencies issued a warning about a possible terror attack in the country. Hence, during Advance security liaisoning (ASL) with US security agencies, the three-hotel strategy was finalized," said a senior police official.

To ensure that nothing went wrong during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, the police had acquired around 20 bulletproof cars for important guests, including John Kerry, Ban Ki-moon and Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay.

"Some of the bulletproof cars were brought from neighboring states. We were also provided around 250 guides by the state government," said a senior police official.

Sources in the city police said the guides were asked to accompany foreign delegates in their cars to ensure smooth navigation through the city and other destinations.

Senior police officials said that with the departure of Bhutan prime minister Tshering Tobgay, the security measures that had been put in place for the VIPs were removed.