Obama's India visit: UP police to hire chopper

Uttar Pradesh police is all set to hire a helicopter to secure the air in view of the likely visit of US president Barack Obama to Agra later this month.

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh police is all set to hire a helicopter to secure the air in view of the likely visit of US president Barack Obama to Agra later this month.

"The state government has authorised the police to hire Pawan Hans helicopter for the next 11 days to assist in the air security," IG (Law & Order) A Satish Ganesh said.

"IG, Meerut zone, has been made the nodal officer to work out the route and sorties by the helicopeter in view of the inputs with regard to the security," he said.

The helicopter would start making sorties soon, he said adding that an air support unit team is being developed.

Two rounds of talks at the DGP level were held to review security arrangements, and a demand for ten companies of RAF for Agra and the same number of CRPF for districts adjoning the NCR region has been made, he said.

The IG said that work on all dimensions of security for the foreign dignitary was being done.

To questions whether the Yamuna Expressway would be closed for traffic for security reasons, the IG said that no decision has been made but the state would cooperate as per the instructions from the protocol.

The IG said that in view of the Republic Day, all the districts have been issued necessary directives to implement the security scheme and take precautions.

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