Ahead of French Prez's visit, Central Intelligence Agency pitches in for security

Gurgaon: Ahead of the one-day visit here of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande, the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Friday asked Haryana police to submit crime status report for Gurgaon, Faridabad and other adjoining districts as part of efforts to ensure proper security arrangements.

The two leaders have a programme scheduled on January 25 at National Institute of Solar Energy situated on the Gurgaon-Faridabad Expressway where the foundation stone for the interim secretariat of the international solar alliance will be laid.

As France is a friendly nation of the US, CIA is involving itself in the security measures for the Hollande visit.

The agency has specifically asked the Gurgaon and Faridabad district administrations to provide action-taken report, especially in the vicinity of the Aravalli mountain range, which is known for illegal mining and other criminal activities.

Hawa Singh, ACP (PRO) of Gurgaon police, said that the spy agency has been focusing on Mewat district, where different security agencies have arrested four or five terrorists in the past three years.

A suspected Al-Qaeda operative was nabbed by the Special Cell of Delhi Police from Mewat district last week.

CIA has asked the police in Gurgaon, Faridabad and adjoining districts to submit data on all criminal activities reported in their respective areas.

The district administrations of Gurgaon and Faridabad have already imposed Section 144 in a radius of 2 km from the venue with SWAT teams also in place. Section 144 will also be imposed at prominent malls, shopping centres, strategic locations and crowded places between January 24 and 26.