Hu's dummy motorcade foxes Tibetan protestors

A decision by security agencies to put Chinese President Hu Jintao's motorcade on an alternative route on his arrival in New Delhi bore fruit as some 4 to 5 Tibetan protestors jumped in front of a "dummy" cavalcade that used the path earlier earmarked for the visiting dignitary.

Shortly after Hu's arrival in New Delhi on Monday, the driver of the car escorting him to his hotel was asked to take an alternative route from Rao Tula Ram Marg and Moti Bagh rather than the primary one that passed through Delhi Cantonment and Dhaula Kuan, informed sources said.

This was kept a closely guarded secret and was revealed to the motorcade accompanying Hu minutes before he departed the air force station at Palam.

A "dummy" motorcade was asked to proceed on the primary route, the sources said. As the dummy motorcade approached Arjun Vihar near Delhi Cantonment on the primary route, 4 to 5 Tibetans shouting anti-China slogans jumped in front of it, waving Tibetan flags.

Policemen on duty caught hold of them before they realised that the motorcade was a dummy one and the original cavalcade carrying Hu was safe. 3 of the 5 Tibetan protestors were detained by police.