PM Modi unfurls tricolor at Red Fort

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unfurled the national flag at the Red Fort here on the occasion of the nation's 69th Independence Day.

Dressed smartly in a creamish gold attire and a safa (turban) of a smilar hue tinged with orange and green, he unfurled national flag from the dais the 17th-century built Red Fort, and saluted the nation's martyrs, freedom fighters and armed forces for their many sacrifices amidst the playing of the national anthem.

Before the unfurling of the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi first went to Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. Thereafter, he was received at the Red Fort complex by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh, Defence Secretary G. Mohan Kumar and the commanding officer of the Delhi area.

He then reviewed a tri-services guard of honour before moving the venue from where he has begun to address the nation.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier wished the nation on the occasion of Independence Day.

Saturday's event is taking place amid tight security, which includes the deployment over 40,000 security personnel and roof top markings for the first time.

Apart from the above security measures, unmanned aerial vehicles, choppers and 500 CCTV cameras have been installed at high altitude to locate crucial and sensitive spots.

Snipers have been deployed at designated spots in most of the 400 marked rooftops for the first time by Delhi Police.