Tight security for Pak team

Shahid Afridi recently said he wasn't worried about his team playing in India, but the same can't be said of the hosts. An elaborate security drill has been put in place for the Pakistan cricket team, visiting India for the first time after the 26/11 attack. Atreyo Mukhopadhyay reports.

Shahid Afridi recently said he wasn't worried about his team playing in India, but the same can't be said of the hosts.

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An elaborate security drill has been put in place for the Pakistan cricket team, visiting India for the first time after the 26/11 attack. As soon as the team landed here from Dhaka after a stopover in Delhi on Friday, a thick security blanket was thrown around it.

Close to 1,000 police personnel will be guarding Afridi and his men who take on India in the second semi-final of the World Cup. The team hotel resembles a fortress, with gun-toting security swarming the place.

The journey from airport was smooth. The players, who were packed off to their rooms in on reaching Hotel Taj, soon got together for namaaz.

The police have handed the visitors a list of dos and don'ts. The foremost: no sneaking out of the hotel without informing the police. To visit Sector 17, which is the city's shopping district and very close to the hotel, or any other place, they'll have to inform the police four hours in advance.

"We will then take a call, depending on where they want to go," said HS Doon, superintendent of police (traffic and security), Chandigarh.

"We have installed jammers which detect explosives and are not taking any chance."

The team's route to the ground, which is in Mohali 10km from Chandigarh, on practice and match days is also being kept secret.

Indian team is expected here on Saturday.

The Mohali stadium has also been sealed and nearly 2,000 policemen will be deployed in and around the PCA stadium on the match day, a Punjab Police official said.

Adequate security would also be ensured for the visiting Pakistani fans, the official said.

(With agency inputs)