Aerial security at stadium

Special security staff with binoculars and sophisticated weapons would be strategically placed to keep a vigil on the movements inside the stadium and its vicinity to thwart any aerial security threat, Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jatinder Singh Aulakh said on Tuesday evening, refusing to divulge minute details citing security reasons.

While there are still two days to go for the match to begin, unprecedented security in and around the stadium is already in place.

The SSP said police Gypsies with commandos in position, keeping a finger on the light machine gun (LMG) trigger, will patrol the roads leading to the stadium on all five days to keep anti-social elements at bay. The trial run of the Gypsies in Mohali came as a surprise for the locals on Tuesday.

Aulakh, who is the overall in-charge of PCA security, said both the Indian and England teams had been given instructions to adhere to the security plan. “No player will be allowed to leave the stadium alone and they will have to keep in touch with their respective security in-charge to seek any change in their movement,” said the SSP, who has handed over a circular of precautions to PCA president I S Bindra to be forwarded to the players.

The teams will get extra security cover by an evacuation team of trained commandos, headed by a DSP-rank officer, to ensure their safe passage from the stadium to the specially created safehouse in case of any eventuality.

The SSP has divided the stadium into 12 sectors with a gazetted officer made in-charge of each sector.

A total of 18 checkposts have been planned in strategic locations around the stadium, including the parking lots, and all movements will be recorded through 110 close-circuit television cameras.

“The stadium had been kept under close vigil day and night and anti-sabotage checks already in place for the last 10 days,” said Aulakh.

He said they were verifying the details of all residents living in the vicinity of the stadium. They are recording the names and antecedents of all the owners, tenants and guests at houses, shops, hotels, community centres and other private and public places.

With the contingents of mounted staff, teargas cell, water cannons, intelligence personnel in civvies and sniffer dog squad in place, a total of 850 police personnel would guard the stadium against any eventuality, concluded the SSP.