Chinese team in Delhi to guard Olympics torch?

Anxious to ensure that the Olympics torch relay passes peacefully though India on April 17, the Chinese government has sent a team of investigators to keep an eye on Tibetans in New Delhi, particularly those who could turn out to be potential trouble makers.

The team, according the highly-placed sources, has been trying to familiarise themselves with the route that the Olympics torch would take, on motorcycles.

I have heard about the Chinese sending a special squad to make sure that Tibetans do not disrupt the relay torch. But I guess they must be doing in other countries as well from where the torch would pass and where they expect Tibetans to disrupt the torch relay. However, I cannot confirm the special squad being in India. But there is no smoke without fire, a former Intelligence Bureau chief told rediff.com on Saturday.

When contacted, Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajan Bhagat refused to acknowledge the presence of Chinese cops in Delhi.

For obvious reasons, Beijing does not want to take any chances.

Last month, agitating Tibetans had broken into the Chinese embassy compound, waving the Tibetan flag. The incident had embarrassed the Indian government, which had been assuring China that it would not tolerate any political anti-Beijing activities by Tibetans on its territory.