BHUBANESWAR: The first One Day International between India and West Indies at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium on November 29 will be held under security blanket in view of threats from terrorists and Left Wing Extremists (LWEs). The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate of Police which held its first preparatory meeting with Orissa Cricket Association (OCA) and other stakeholder agencies pointed at total sanitisation of the stadium, the host hotels and route well ahead of the match. The two teams will arrive in the City on November 27 and leave a day after the match. Since the teams will have to travel to Cuttack for net practice on November 28, the Commissionerate Police will have a job at hand to ensure that nothing goes wrong, said Police Commissioner Bijay Kumar Sharma. OCA president Ranjib Biswal was present. Close circuit cameras will provide a blow-by-blow account of the proceedings in the stadium throughout the match. From entry gates to galleries, all will be under CCTV vigilance, OCA secretary Ashirbad Behera said. Certain routes will also be closed in view of increased security requirements, while surveillance will be heightened. In the past, attack on the then coach Greg Chappell, agitation by Kalinga Sena against Australian cricketers and disturbance at the stadium by spectators who hurled missiles at the TV crew members had created controversies and police do not want a recurrence. A three-tier screening is being planned on the match day. Screening will be held at the periphery, then at the main gate before a final-level frisking is carried out. “Given the past experience of holding matches at Barabati Stadium, we will ensure that nothing goes wrong,” Commissioner of Police B K Sharma said. Sharma advised the OCA to take special care to minimise controversies around tickets. The host association must ensure that capacity of the stadium matches with the tickets sold. Cuttack DCP Praveen Kumar said special attention will be given to the entire arrangement in view of threat perception from the Maoists and terrorists who target such events. Besides according Z category security to players, anti-terrorist squads and quick reaction teams will be deployed. For different category of visitors, different entries will be created and six screening points will be earmarked. Players and VIPs will not cross paths with the spectators and other agencies. The match and practice aside, the team members are likely to attend social functions. Team India captain MS Dhoni is likely to inaugurate the newly-built stadium at technical institute DRIEMS at Tangi near Cuttack on November 27 evening. Additional CPs Rekha Lohani and Ritu Arora and Bhubaneswar DCP Nitinjit Singh were present at the meeting.
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