Ahmedabad: The most anticipated match of the ongoing ICC Men’s World Cup, India vs Pakistan is scheduled to take place on October 14th in Ahmedabad. Given the excitement people have for this match in particular has also raised some security concerns.
Reportedly, high-level security arrangements will be in place for just this particular match.
“More than 11,000 personnel of various agencies including Gujarat Police, NSG, RAF, and home guards among others will be deployed in Ahmedabad and at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad during the India-Pakistan World Cup cricket match on October 14, a senior officer said on Monday. The high-level security arrangements have been put in place following threats,” a senior officer was quoted in a media report.
Keeping in mind the security concerns, Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, chaired a review meeting on Monday, which was attended by Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, state DGP Vikas Sahay, G S Malik and other senior police officers in Gandhinagar.
Post the meeting Malik addressed a press conference, during which he said, ‘Elaborate security arrangements have been made keeping in mind factors such as the movement of more than 1 lakh spectators at the stadium and a recent threat issued by unidentified persons through an email’.
He further added, ‘Along with more than 7,000 police personnel, we will deploy nearly 4,000 home guards to secure the stadium and to maintain law and order in communally sensitive areas of the city during the match. In addition to these personnel, we will deploy three ‘hit teams’ and one anti-drone team of the NSG. Nine teams of our bomb detection and disposal squad will also be utilised.’
He went on to say, ‘Four senior IPS officers of the ranks of the inspector general and the deputy inspector general along with 21 deputy commissioner of police (DCP) rank officers will supervise and guide the personnel on the match day. Apart from 13 companies of the state reserve police (SRP), we will deploy three companies of Rapid Action Force as part of our security setup. The RAF will keep a watch on communally sensitive areas of the city. To help people in case of a stampede, we have already prepared an evacuation plan and rehearsals are also going on at the stadium’.
Malik also said, ‘To respond to any chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) emergencies during the match, teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will also be deployed in the city’.