New Delhi, Apr 17
(ANI): The shortened Olympic torch relay, which lasted for about 40
minutes from Vijay Chowk went off smoothly and without incident on
Thursday afternoon to India Gate along the historic Rajpath.

Defended by about
17,000 security personnel, the torch was carried from Vijay Chowk even
as exiled Tibetans protested across country.

For over five hours,
Rajpath was turned into a security fortress with all key government
offices including the North and South blocks shutting down.

With a three-layered
security ring akin to the Republic Day arrangements in place, Delhi
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit handed over the Olympic flame to Indian
Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi. Vice-chairman of
the Beijing Olympics Organising Committee, Jiang Yu was also present on
the occasion.

Athlete Milkha Singh,
had the honour of leading the relay before the torch changed hands with
nearly 70 celebrities including sportsmen, film stars and politicians
enroute to the India Gate, the memorial dedicated to the martyred
soldiers of world war one and two.

Sportsmen Leander
Paes, Mahesh Bhupati, Aslam Sher Khan, Dhanraj Pillay, Zafar Iqbal,
Wilson Cherian, Khazan Singh, K Malleswari, K Kunjurani, Bishen Singh
Bedi were among others who took part in the event. Film stars Aamir
Khan and Saif Ali Khan also participated.

Para Olympian
Rajinder Singh Rahelu, who was on a wheelchair, was among those who
carried the torch, which was kept at the Le Meridian Hotel.

Earlier about 60
Tibetans were detained as they tried to block roads and entered into
minor scuffles with the police across the city.

In Mumbai, 45
Tibetans including nine women were detained after they attempted to
hold a protest rally near the Chinese Consulate located in the business
district of Nariman Point, police said. Tibetans also staged protests
in Bangalore.

The public was kept
out of the event and all access roads to Rajpath were shut for several
hours to ensure smooth passage for the torch relay.

The torch is now headed towards Thailand Capital Bankok. (ANI)