Ahead of Independence Day celebrations, security across the nation has been significantly intensified, including augmented patrolling, vehicle and individual checkpoints, and increased surveillance. Delhi has implemented stringent security measures, particularly at border points and strategic locations. The capital’s security plan involves the Delhi Police, paramilitary forces, the National Security Guard (NSG), the Special Protection Group (SPG), Military Intelligence, and other agencies, with over 20,000 security personnel deployed. Advanced Artificial Intelligence systems, such as facial recognition, anti-intrusion cameras, people-count cameras, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), and abandoned object detection, have been integrated. ANPR will identify suspicious vehicles, while facial recognition utilizes a database of 300,000 suspects. The Abandoned Object Detection system will alert authorities to unattended items near the Red Fort, and anti-intrusion cameras will monitor its perimeter. Anti-drone systems are operational, snipers are stationed on rooftops, and over 800 CCTV cameras monitor key areas. Two special control rooms, inside and outside the Red Fort, will manage real-time feeds from 426 cameras. The Red Fort has been under strict access control for twenty days, with regular anti-sabotage checks. Parking facilities will utilize under-vehicle scanning systems. Commercial vehicle entry into Delhi from all border points has been banned from August 14, and diversions are in place on routes to the Red Fort and India Gate. Cyber patrolling has been conducted to track social media accounts posting weapons-related content, resulting in the apprehension of nine suspects and the recovery of firearms. Similar heightened security measures are in effect in other cities, including Chandigarh, where over 2,000 police personnel have been deployed, and in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, where a flag march was conducted. Security has also been tightened in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora and in Mumbai, and special arrangements are in place in Tripura’s Agartala.
