6,800 cops deployed for Republic Day security in Chennai

CHENNAI: The city police have put in place a five-tier security ahead of the R-Day celebrations. At least 6,800 police personnel have been deployed round the clock to ensure a peaceful parade to be held on Kamarajar Salai .
Governor RN Ravi will hoist the tricolour at the flag post near the Gandhi Statue on Kamarajar Salai on Wednesday. While the Republic Day parade is not open to the public, the focus will be on the tableaux that chief minister M K Stalin had said will be part of the state R-Day events.
For security, police personnel have been deployed at places of public gathering such as the airport, railway stations, bus terminuses, commercial complexes, beaches and temples in the city.
Police and other uniformed personnel conducted rehearsals on Kamarajar Salai for the R-Day event. The full dress rehearsal was conducted on Monday morning.
Following the row over the rejection of Tamil Nadu’s tableaux featuring freedom fighters for the R-Day parade in New Delhi, the state government has planned to display the tableaux in the parade to be held in Chennai. Three floats on the theme -- Tamil Nadu in freedom struggle -- will feature icons such as Subramania Bharati, VO Chidambaram, Velu Nachiyar and Maruthu Pandiyar brothers. The whole event has been planned for 35 minutes only.
There will be no presentations for government departments and cultural events by school and college students this year.