In a rare show of tit-for-tat against the US, India took several bold steps to show Americans their place. The security barricades put by the Delhi Police in and around the US Embassy at Shanti Path New Delhi district was removed on Tuesday.
Thereby, the road passing in the vicinity of the US Embassy has been opened to the public. This has been done to take away the parking facility for the US Embassy vehicles.
Earlier, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had withdrawn airport passes to the US diplomats in India.
“Indian Embassy at Washington too has not been provided traffic facility hence the step has been initiated… however, security for the US Ambassador to India, Nancy Powell, and other diplomats will remain intact. There has been no scaling down of the security for the ambassador and the embassy building and other US installations in the Capital. Police Control Room (PCR) vans and other Delhi Police personnel who are part of the Diplomatic Security Force (DSF) will continue as before,” a top official of the Delhi Police said.
As of now all the traffic barricades near the US Embassy on Nyaya Marg have been removed but the police picket will stay till further orders. When asked whether the Delhi Police intended to take further action in downsizing the security in and around US Embassy, the official was quick to add that they followed the orders and will take steps once instructions from the North Block are relayed to them.
Earlier, Traffic Additional Commissioner of Police Anil Shukla visited Shanti Path to oversee the removed of cemented barricades put exclusive for traffic curbs for the vehicles approaching US Embassy. The Delhi Police top brass held a meeting with Police Commissioner BS Bassi in the wake of the decisions taken by the Union Government. An official who attended the meeting did say that some other measures are afoot but he was not in a position to divulge the same.