A day after India’s news portal The Print reported that former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been residing in the VVIP area of Lutyens’ Delhi, Hindustan Times reported today, citing intelligence sources, that she is staying in a secure bungalow in the VVIP area located in central Delhi near India Gate and Khan Market.
Multiple layers of security shield Hasina, who continues to face “a slew of death threats” over alleged atrocities committed during her term, Hindustan times said citing intelligence officials with knowledge of developments said.
India Gate and Khan Market are quite close to Pandara Road locality where Hasina had stayed for six years after the assassination of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975.
Hindustan Times said Hasina’s new residence was an Intelligence Bureau (IB) safehouse which could not be disclosed due to threats to her life.
Hasina has been living in Lutyens Delhi since she shifted from Hindon air base in neighbouring Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh,where she landed from Dhaka on August 5 after fleeing Bangladesh, according to The Print.
Quoting a Financial Times report last month, Hindustan Times said Hasina was spotted at Lodhi Garden, a popular place for walkers in central Delhi.
The inner and outer security cordon of all in the safe house, one of three such facilities in central Delhi, is taken care of by the officials of the Indian central agencies while “watchers and spotters” from the commando unit of the Delhi police are deployed around the bungalows to keep a vigil on suspicious activities and people, Hindustan Times said quoting an official.
A second official said that a sub-inspector from Delhi police was tagged with the officials of the IB and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for a couple of days when Hasina was brought to Delhi from Hindon.
“The sub-inspector was given very clear instructions — not to disclose details about the secret operation and the address of the safe house to anyone in his personal and professional circles. The sub-inspector was told that he shouldn’t be revealing any information even if the Delhi police chief or any of his supervisory officers asked for the same,” the second official said, requesting anonymity, according to Hindustan Times.
The sub-inspector was withdrawn from the security protocol after two or three days as IB and central Home Ministry officials took over the security arrangements, according to the daily’s portal.
The second officer said Hasina’s daughter, Saima Wazed, the South East Asian regional director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) who lives in Delhi, was also provided security cover by the Delhi police. The two have met a few times in the past two months under tight and secret security protocols, said the officials.
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