By IANS,
New Delhi : Five months after the Chinese embassy here was turned into a virtual fortress with barbed wire and barricades around its precincts to prevent anti-Olympics protests by Tibetan activists, there is no let up in the security arrangements, though the games are over.
However, the additional personnel and equipment like water cannons deployed around the area for the duration of the Olympics have been withdrawn.
“There is no plan as yet to remove security from the Chinese embassy. The high security at the place will continue,” Joint Commissioner of police (New Delhi range) Ajay Kashyap told IANS.
“However, after the Olympics have ended, there is a definite reduction in the number of police personnel guarding the area,” another officer said.
Delhi Police had Monday detained 11 Tibetans from near the Chinese embassy while they were protesting. They were later released.
When asked about the number of people guarding the embassy, the police refused to divulge details.
Official sources said: “The security cannot be removed as yet. Tibetan activists are not going to sit back quietly after the conclusion of the Olympics.”
“The Beijing Paralympic Games are going to take place shortly. After that, talks will take place between Chinese government and the representatives of the Dalai Lama. Keeping both these in view, security cannot be relaxed at the embassy,” one officer added.
Meanwhile, Tibetan activists in the capital are holding meetings to decide their course of action.
“As of now, we don’t plan any protests or campaigns anywhere in the city. But we are conducting meetings and any action would be taken only after that,” said Kunchok, a member of the Tibetan Youth Congress.
India is home to an estimated 100,000 Tibetan exiles. The Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile is based in the Indian hill town of Dharamsala.