India News | Security Personnel Share Experiences of Guarding I-Day Event at Red Fort
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Being a security personnel at a high-profile event is a tough job, but when the occasion is India's Independence Day the pride that fills the hearts of these men in uniform lessens their burden, said some of the paramilitary staff who were on duty at the Red Fort on Sunday.
New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Being a security personnel at a high-profile event is a tough job, but when the occasion is India's Independence Day the pride that fills the hearts of these men in uniform lessens their burden, said some of the paramilitary staff who were on duty at the Red Fort on Sunday.
On Sunday morning, paramilitary staff drawn from ITBP, CRPF, SSB and CISF along with the police personnel and others kept a tight vigil at the Red Fort as Prime Minster Narendra Modi led the nation in celebrating the 75th Independence Day.
Anand Kumar Shukla, 42, who was commissioned into the ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Force) in 2001, stood alert near the main entrance to the enclosure area with his AK-47, his eyes constantly scanning the surrounding for any suspicious activity.
As Modi delivered his nearly 90-minute address from the ramparts of the 17th century fort, security personnel like Shukla, who is no stranger to such VVIP events, tried to catch a few words from his speech, out of curiosity.
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"We cannot afford to bring our attention to the speech, as we have to be very vigilant about our surrounding all the time, and we keep moving to monitor the situation during the entire programme. But we make it a point to watch the recording of the speech online later on the phone," he said.
Based in Chhattisgarh, Shukla who hails from Uttar Pradesh, and his colleague, Manjunath, had arrived in Delhi early this month for Independence Day duty.
Manjunath, who hails from Dharwad district of Karnataka, said the 75th Independence Day is a very special occasion, and "we felt very proud today, doing our duty".
"Job of a security personnel is very tough, we have to train hard for it, learn to stand for very long hours without getting exhausted, and we cannot afford to start engaging our senses on enjoying the event as we have to be very alert. But guarding the Red Fort premises gives us a very fulfilling feeling too," Manjunath, 39, said.
Security personnel, including police and paramilitary forces, NSG commandos, had occupied their places in and around the Red Fort premises in the wee hours, and snipers took positions on top of various buildings to lend a foolproof security cover to the august venue that has hosted India's Independence Day celebrations since 1947.
Both Manjunath and Shukla have served in such big-ticket ceremonial events several times in the last 10 years, including Independence Day and Republic Day.
Manjunath recalls the time the then US President Barack Obama was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day ceremony in 2015.
"I was posted next to the main VVIP enclosure where the Chief Guest had sat. I was on my toes all the time. But the experience was unforgettable. When I retire, I will share this with my family members and cherish it," he said.
A Delhi Police constable who was present at the venue said on condition of anonymity, "This is the first time I have been deputed on I-Day duty. I am very happy to serve, and though I wish to listen to PM's speech, I can't afford to lend my ears to it attentively. I have to keep a watchful eye on the surrounding."
A little distance away from the periphery of the Red Fort, a courier company driver and two rickshaw-pullers were glued to a mobile phone as Modi's speech was streamed live.
"We were so excited about the 75th Independence Day, we have been up since wee hours. Feels proud that as a free country, we are into 75th year now," said courier company driver Shravan Kumar Yadav.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)