India celebrates Republic Day in dense fog

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NEW DELHI, Jan 26 (AFP): Blanket fog obscured the start of India's 60th Republic Day celebrations Tuesday, with the annual military parade in New Delhi held under heightened security due to fears of militant attacks.
Before the ceremonies kicked off, Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire along their disputed border in Kashmir, while four policemen were hurt in bomb blasts in the northeast where separatist groups traditionally disrupt the event.
Paramilitary officer J.B. Sagwan in Kashmir accused Pakistan of opening fire to help cross-border rebels sneak into the Indian zone of the divided territory but said no one was injured in the clash-the third reported exchange this year.
Around 15,000 police officers lined barricades across New Delhi and paramilitary soldiers manned sand-bagged pillboxes along the fogged out five-mile parade route.