IND Vs PAK: NSG, 7K Cops, Other Teams in Place to Thwart Any 'Chemical, Radiological' Threats in Ahmedabad

India began its World Cup 2023 campaign with a victory over Australia last Sunday at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The Men in Blue will face nine teams in the group stage but the most anticipated is the one against its arch-rivals Pakistan on October 14.

Given the nature of the India-Pakistan matches, high-level security arrangements have been put in place following threats. More than 11,000 personnel of various agencies including India’s elite counter-terror force National Security Guard (NSG), Rapid Action Force (RAF), home guards, and Gujarat Police have been roped in for the security at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and the city as well for the high-octane clash on Saturday.

Over 7K Cops, 4K Home Guards Deployment

Besides more than 7,000 police personnel, Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police G S Malik said nearly 4,000 home guards will be deployed to secure the stadium and to maintain law and order in communally sensitive areas of the city during the match. He asserted Ahmedabad has never witnessed communal violence during cricket matches played in the city in the past 20 years.

Explaining why such elaborate security arrangements have been made, Malik said more than 1 lakh spectators are expected to turn up at the stadium and a recent threat issued by unidentified persons through an email.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held a meeting with Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, state DGP Vikas Sahay, G S Malik and other senior police officers in Gandhinagar to review the police’s action plan to ensure that the high-profile sports event passes off without any trouble.

NSG, Bomb Disposal Teams to be Deployed

Addressing a press conference in the evening, Malik said the chief minister had reviewed the security preparations and directed the police to take all necessary steps to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during the match.

“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,” Malik said.

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, he said.

“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 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, he said.

As per reports, Mumbai Police received an email in which an unidentified sender issued threats to harm the prime minister and blow up the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The sender also demanded Rs 500 crore and the release of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi from jail.

Malik said such threats have been duly “assessed” by the city police and it was found that the mail was sent from a foreign location. “We have assessed such threats and made our deployment plan accordingly. Moreover, such an elaborate security arrangement is necessary when more than one lakh spectators are going to come to watch the match.”

“We also took into account the fact that it will be a sensitive match and it can create communal disturbance,” Malik said, adding that city police are well-prepared to deal with any situation.

Last month, the Gujarat Police registered an FIR against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), for threatening to turn the Cricket World Cup, unveiled on October 5 at Narendra Modi stadium, into the “World Terror Cup”.

(With PTI inputs)