Bangalore stadium cleared for CL match after security scare

The M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore has been given the clearance for the two Champions League Twenty20 matches on Saturday after a security review following an inspection of a "suspicious bag", a police official said.

The M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore has been given the clearance for the two Champions League Twenty20 matches on Saturday after a security review following an inspection of a "suspicious bag", a police official said.

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An under-22 cricketer, Pervez Rasool, from Jammu and Kashmir was arrested from the stadium after traces of explosive were found in his bag.

"Following a security sweep of (the) stadium, police were called to investigate a suspicious bag," Additional Commissioner Police M R Pujar said in a statement.

"A young man was taken for questioning by police but he has subsequently been released without charge. Police and security experts have checked the stadium twice, as well as the suspicious bag, but nothing of concern has been found. As a result, the stadium has been given the all-clear for tonight's matches to proceed."

Rasool was staying in the rooms in the Chinnaswamy stadium after reaching the city late Friday to participate in the C K Nayudu tournament.

The first Super Eight match between Cape Cobras and Victoria Bushrangers, scheduled to start at 4, has now been reduced to 17-overs a side.

J&K cricketer detained, released

A Jammu and Kashmir cricketer was today detained after traces of RDX was found in his kit bag but was subsequently released for lack of any evidence, prompting nervous organisers of the Champions League to delay the start of its Twenty20 matches.

The detention of Parvez Rasool, an Under-22 cricketer from militancy-hit state, threw the police into a tizzy with two League A matches of the high-profile tournament being scheduled in the M Chinnaswamy stadium where the player was staying.

Rasool, who hails from Brijbehara in South Kashmir, was detained after detectors found traces of RDX explosive in his kit bag during a routine security check this morning at the stadium where the state team was staying, prompting the authorities to get his background check done from home state.

Additional Police Commissioner (Law and Order and Security) M R Pujar said after a thorough check of the stadium, police declared the ground to be safe for the matches to take place.

"Following a regulation security sweep of M Chinnaswamy Stadium this morning, police was called to investigate a suspicious bag.

(With PTI inputs)