Unprecedented security arrangements have been made by the city police for the Cricket World Cup quarterfinal match between defending champions Australia and hosts India to be played on Thursday at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Motera stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which is being played under the threat of possible terror strike.
The police has virtually turned the Motera stadium into a fortress. “We have deployed one joint commissioner of police, two superintendents of police, eight DSPs, 26 police inspectors and 100 PSIs for the security of the match,” city police commissioner Amitabh Pathak said.
“Besides, 1,200 policemen will also be deployed for the security of the match,” he further said.
Police has also made elaborate round the clock security arrangements at the hotel in which both the teams will be staying. “Apart, from this, we will keep sniffer dogs, bomb disposal squads, quick response teams on high alert for the match. Video recording will also be done,” he said.
“We have also installed explosive detection devices at entry points of the stadium. Body check will be randomly carried out,” he added. “Earlier, two World Cup matches were played here. Security for the quarters final has been much more robust than the two earlier matches,” Pathak said.
“We get inputs regarding terror threat time to time. We are also in touch with intelligence bureau officials. But there is no specific threat for this match,” Pathak said.
Meanwhile, there were huge queues to get entry into over 48,000 capacity stadium as people had started lining up from Sunday for the high profile match after it became clear that India will play Australia, GCA said.
“All the tickets have been sold out,” GCA secretary Rajesh Patel said.
Hundreds of fans had to return disappointed and there was minor lathi-charge by police to control the crowd. Those who had waited overnight for tickets to the match complained that though officially tickets were sold out, tickets were available in black.
Visas to Pakistani Citizens
India has provided visas to 5,000 Pakistani citizens for watching the ongoing Cricket World Cup matches. This move, apparently, is giving the security agencies the jitters.
“Most of them have been provided with up to 15-day duration multiple visas to facilitate travel to watch matches in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also,” a senior official said. Though the Home Ministry said the visas have been given after following well-laid and tough process of security clearances, its own records show that the number of Pakistanis overstaying in India without reporting has increased consistently over the years.
The Times of India reported that as many as 4,742 Pakistanis had disappeared after expiry of visas in the year 2005, their number had gone up to 5,392 in 2006; 6,038 in 2007; 7,547 in 2008 and 7,691 in 2009.
Only 371 of the 4,742 missing Pakistanis in 2005 were traced and deported. There is no trace of those who remained behind giving credence to security agencies apprehensions that many of such cases could be unwanted elements like terrorists, smugglers, drug dealers and other criminals.
The Ministry, however, said all the visas have been given 45 days in advance on the basis of cricket match tickets, return journey tickets, submission of local address and checking their antecedents with the help of Indian Consulates in Pakistan.
They will also have to report to the local Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs). India took a lenient view as Pakistan that was to co-host the ICC World Cup along with Sri Lanka and India was declared unsafe by the ICC following objection by several western countries due to increasing terror attacks.
