Commandos, cops take guard

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: The Mumbai police are all padded up for the match on Sunday at Wankhede with a plan to deploy at least seven squads of Quick Response Team’s elite commandos besides another 1,300 police personnel at or around the stadium on Marine Lines.

Under renovation for 22 months, this is the first World Cup match that Wankhede is hosting. The 37-year-old stadium will next play venue on March 18 and eventually for the final on April 2.

The bandobast on Sunday will be monitored by an officer of joint commissioner rank, with two additional police commissioners and at least three deputy commissioners assisting him. A rehearsal of the arrangements was carried out at the stadium on March 6.

“A temporary room has been made for the policemen on bandobast and it will be connected to all wireless centres, particularly those near the stadium,” said a police officer.

Besides the QRT squads, two bomb sniffing dog squads will be deployed on Sunday. “The QRT will be stationed near the stadium and will go to the spot only when called,” said another senior police officer. Though not on bandobast duty, the elite commandos, as always, will be equipped with AK-47 assault rifles, other firearms and bulletproof jackets.

“There will be adequate security arrangements. We have inspected the area and are satisfied with the situation,” said police commissioner Arup Patnaik.

A large number of policemen in plainclothes will merge into the crowds on match day to keep
an eye out for suspect activities and to catch eve teasers, while their colleagues will keep a watch on CCTV feeds. Apart from all this, a special police vehicle with a technology to detect explosives and firearms in its periphery will roam near the stadium.


The Times of India, March 12, 2011