By Krittivas Mukherjee
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The Olympic torch arrived at NewDelhi airport early on Thursday amid heavy security because offears members of the world's largest community of exiledTibetans may disrupt its passage through the Indian capital.
The torch, which is en route to China for the Summer Gamesin Beijing, was carried off a plane by Suresh Kalmadi, thechief of the Indian Olympic Association.
It was then taken along a route lined with hundreds ofpolice to spend the rest of the night in a luxury hotel.
Police detained about two dozen Tibetan protesters alongthe route and in front of the hotel. Many were dragged intopolice vans as they shouted anti-China slogans.
The torch has been beset by protests through Europe and theAmericas, mostly over a Chinese crackdown in Tibet. In someplaces, protesters tried to snuff out the flame and organisersextinguished or hid the torch to keep it safe.
Fearing similar protests, India trimmed the route to athird of the original 9 km (5 mile) distance, restricting it toa high-security stretch used for the annual Republic Day paradein the Indian capital.
Organisers have so far not even said what time on Thursdaythe New Delhi leg of the relay will begin.
Thousands of police and paramilitary officers will line theroute, which passes close to the nation's parliament and theoffices of federal ministers.
India has been caught in a swirl of protests by Tibetanexiles since last month's unrest in Tibet. Despite the DalaiLama's support for the Beijing Games, the protesters have vowedto disrupt the flame's journey in New Delhi.
Tibetans plan to hold a parallel torch relay on Thursday toprotest Chinese action and demand Tibet's independence.
The Dalai Lama, based in the northern Indian hills, hasurged Tibetans to desist from disrupting the torch relay, butprotests have continued.
India had to assure China of adequate security for thetorch after the Chinese foreign minister called his Indiancounterpart this month.
A total of 70 torch-bearers, including 45 current andformer athletes, will carry the torch.
The torch was in neighbouring Pakistan on Wednesday.
(Editing by Jonathan Allen and Mary Gabriel)
("Countdown to Beijing Olympics" blog athttp://blogs.reuters.com/china)