Heavy security at Chennai stadium

An Additional Deputy Commissioner of police has been made in charge of the security arrangements with three Assistant Commissioners of Police put on round-the-clock duty. Three Police inspectors, six sub-inspectors of police, 60 police constables, 16 armed reserve constables and 20 police commandos will be on duty in and around the Stadium.

All visitors to the stadium are being screened before being allowed inside. City Police Commissioner P Kalimuthu inspected the security arrangements at the stadium and held discussions with the stadium authoritiesyesterday.

Meanwhile, Home Secretary R Poornalingam held a meeting at the Secretariat with the DGP, the City Police Commissioner and others to discuss the security arrangements for the cricket match and also for the Republic Day function.

Railway Police officials said that a special team had been formed to crackdown on Shiv Sainiks planning to enter the city through trains. Railway police personnel have been instructed to check anyone found moving around in a suspicious manner.

Meanwhile, the State president of the Sena R Thangasamy said several volunteers will arrive in Chennai from North India and will try their utmost to disrupt the match. They had made arrangements to purchase the tickets in bulk and gain entry into the stadium and create problems, he said.

Party spokesman Sreenivasa Raman appealed to the public not to come to the stadium. 8220;We should not be blamed if anything happens during the match. The vehicles coming to the stadium will also be targeted,8221; he added.