Hotel turns fortress for Russian prez’s two-day visit

There is unprecedented security cover in and around ITC Maurya Sheraton Hotel where Russian President Dmitri Medvedev is scheduled to stay during his two-day visit to India.

There is unprecedented security cover in and around ITC Maurya Sheraton Hotel where Russian President Dmitri Medvedev is scheduled to stay during his two-day visit to India. Medvedev is coming to India on Thursday and would leave on Friday.

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Officials of SVR — the Russian Intelligence agency and FSB —their domestic security agency are already in the city to liaison with their Indian counterparts.

The security agencies were also checking the credentials of the hotels staff in wake of the recent terror attacks in Mumbai. There had been reports that two terrorists were working as housekeeping staff at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai that was stormed. The hotel had, however, denied the reports.

The Russian president who would be landing in Delhi on Thursday evening would be provided with a watertight security cordon. Alpha commandos, Russia’s equivalent to India’s National Security Guards (NSG), would be giving security cover to the Russian’s president cavalcade.

“We are taking no chances and have even stationed plainclothes policemen inside the hotel premises. The Russian president is coming to India to discuss anti-terror measures with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his security is of utmost importance,” said a senior security official.

All the vehicles entering the hotel were being checked and a security ring was thrown around the hotel.