By IANS,
Bangalore : About 3,000 policemen would be on duty at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here Sunday for the high-profile India-England knock-out match of the ICC World Cup 2011, a police official said Friday.
“We are deploying about 3,000 policemen, including 700 traffic constables, in and around the stadium, to ensure fool-proof security for the cricket match Sunday,” Bangalore Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari told reporters here.
In view of the unprecedented rush for the match that was shifted from Eden Gardens in Kalkota to Bangalore, the police have made elaborate security arrangements to maintain peace.
“Special security will be provided to English fans expected to arrive in the city in large numbers to watch the match, as they had bought the tickets online earlier,” Bidari said.
Asserting that there was no threat to the match in the city, the city police chief said for security reasons, he would not divulge details of special measures being taken to maintain law and order.
“Keeping in view the global threat perception from anti-national elements and trouble-makers, we are taking all precautions, including intelligence gathering, to prevent any untoward incident at the stadium and across the city,” Bidari asserted.
Appealing to the cricket-crazy fans to reach the stadium in time for the day-night match, Bidari said spectators would not be allowed to carry any goods, including bags, cameras, laptops or water bottles into the stadium.
“The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) is making all arrangements, including supply of drinking water for fans at the stadium. As it is a game of cricket, I appeal to all spectators to maintain discipline, order and peace to enjoy the match,” Bidari noted.
Regretting caning of hundreds of fans who mobbed the stadium Thursday for the 7,000 tickets that were up for sale, Bidari said the police had to step in to regulate the crowd and restore order, as the situation was getting out of control.
“It was unfortunate we had to use force to control the fans due to heavy rush for the tickets. We will not allow black-marketing of tickets Sunday and only fans with valid tickets should come to the stadium. We will keep a special watch on anti-social elements and mischief-makers during the match,” Bidari pointed out.
As part of security drill, sniffer dogs and anti-sabotage squads were pressed into service to sanitise the entire area.
“We have installed cameras and closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) in and around the stadium to keep an eye on trouble-makers and undesirable elements,” Bidari added.
In a related development, two KSCA officials were arrested late Thursday and sent to judicial custody for black-marketing tickets.