India Gate is a war memorial located astride Rajpath, on the eastern edge of the ‘ceremonial axis’ of New Delhi, formerly called Kingsway. On this edifice are inscribed the names of more than 70,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War during the period 1914–21.

Though a war memorial, India Gate evokes the architectural style of triumphal arches such as the Arch of Constantine in Rome and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens—arguably one of the greatest English architects—as part of India’s new imperial capital, which later became the seat of the Government of India after the country gained independence in 1947.


Built between 1921 and 1931, the memorial stands 42 metres high and is made of Bharatpur stone. Surrounding the imposing structure is a large expanse of lush green lawns, which is a popular picnic spot.

One can see throngs of people moving about the memorial and on the lawns all day, and particularly in the evenings, when it is dramatically floodlit with the fountains nearby, creating a lovely display.

The story that follows recounts a police operation to save the thousands of visitors to India Gate area from what could have been a disastrous terror attack. This is the first time that this hitherto well-kept secret is being brought into the public domain.

In the autumn of 2002, with terror raging in the Kashmir Valley and other parts of India, ACP Pramod Kushwaha of the Special Cell of Delhi Police visited Srinagar. He was investigating a terror case in Delhi, and as was his wont, besides his investigative work, his mission was also to collect intelligence on terrorists operating in the country. He met with several local officers serving in the Valley in his quest for information, one of whom was a deputy commandant of the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF officer had been involved in several armed altercations with Pakistan- sponsored terrorists trying to cross the international border.

To be continued ......