Security drill causes panic at R-day rehearsal

NEW DELHI - Commandos rushed to the VIP enclosure at the Republic Day’s full dress rehearsal here Saturday to rescue VIPs said to have been shot by terrorists, leading to panic that abated only when it was revealed that it was a mock exercise.

As the rehearsal was in progress, walkie-talkies of security personnel along the stately Rajpath road linking Rashtrapati Bhawan and India Gate blared out warning messages that a VIP has been shot.

Wasting no time, Special Protection Group (SPG) and army commandos rushed to the VIP enclosure to secure the VIPs, creating a flutter for about 15 minutes.

Vehicles of VIPs returned near the enclosure and the security personnel rushed the VIPs into their cars,” a defence ministry official said.

As many watched in horror, senior officials revealed that it was merely an exercise meant to test the responses of the commandos.

It was not part of the rehearsal and no one was informed about the drill. It was a contingency plan. Such drills are conducted every year but not necessarily on the full dress rehearsal day, an army official involved in its planning said.

Only those who planned it knew about it. The surprise element was added during the rehearsal to check how efficiently commandos secure and evacuate VIPs once they are alerted,” the officer added.