Now Hindustan Times says Hasina is staying in Delhi’s VVIP zone with heavy security
The HT report comes just a day after The Print’s report, which also said Hasina is residing in a safe house in Lutyens Bungalow Zone in Delhi.
Quoting intelligence sources, Indian daily Hindustan Times today reported that ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina is staying in a secure bungalow in the VVIP area in central Delhi, near India Gate and Khan Market.
The report comes just a day after Indian online newspaper The Print’s report, which said Hasina is residing in a safe house in India’s Lutyens Bungalow Zone in Delhi.
Hindustan Times reports the 77-year-old ousted PM is living in a secure bungalow with multiple layers of security as she continues to face “a slew of death threats” over alleged atrocities committed during her term.
Officials said on Thursday that Hasina has been living in Lutyens Delhi since she shifted from Hindon, as first reported by The Print on Thursday.
A Financial Times report last month also claimed that she was spotted at Lodhi Garden, a popular haunt for walkers in central Delhi.
The intelligence officials that the Hindustan Times quoted said Hasina’s new residence was an Intelligence Bureau safehouse but asked not to disclose the exact location, citing threats to Hasina’s life.
“The inner and outer security cordon of all the safe houses – one of three such facilities in central Delhi – is taken care of by the officials of the 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,” one of the intelligence officials told Hindustan Times.
A second official told the Hindustan Times that a sub-inspector from Delhi Police was tagged with the officials of the Intelligence Bureau and India’s Ministry of External Affairs 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 told Hindustan Times, requesting anonymity.
After two or three days, the SI was withdrawn from the security protocol, and the Intelligence Bureau and Ministry of External Affairs officials took over the security arrangements.
The second officer said that Hasina’s daughter, Saima Wazed, the regional director of the World Health Organisation who lives in Delhi, was also provided security cover by the Delhi Police.
The officials said the two have met a few times in the past two months under tight and secret security protocols.
As per The Print report, the Lutyens Bungalow Zone is spread over a 28,000-hectare area.
It is one of the poshest and most highly sought-after places in the Indian capital.
The Lutyens Bungalow Zone has played host to India’s president, prime minister, top officials, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. It boasts as many as 1,000 bungalows with expansive lawns bordering wide boulevards.
