Cops from across the country turn Delhi into ‘mini-India’

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium turned into a 'mini-India' for the Commonwealth Games hours before the opening ceremony on Sunday. Police officers from across the country had been called-in to secure its premises.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium turned into a 'mini-India' for the Commonwealth Games hours before the opening ceremony on Sunday. Police officers from across the country had been called-in to secure its premises.

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With a police officer at every 10 metres in and around the stadium, a seemingly impregnable posse of security cover could be seen stretching across three kilometres.

“The varied police force is part of the central police force that we have got requisitioned from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It is a coordinated effort and rightly so since it is a national event,” said a senior police officer.

Officers from many states such as Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh could be seen stationed almost throughout the stadium's entire outer perimeter to provide security to the stadium.

"We are soldiers and our job is to provide security to our country and its people wherever and whenever needed. These Games are part of our national heritage and will go down in history as one of its biggest successes. In our own limited capacity, we will make sure that they are successful," a Tamil Nadu Police Constable, posted at gate number 14, said on the condition of anonymity.

According to the Delhi Police, 1,600 commandos pulled out from various agencies such as the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force, Border Security Force and Central Industrial Security Force have also been requisitioned for securing the rooftops in and around the stadium as well.

“This has been done for checks and balances. Our aim is not only to provide impenetrable security, but also to ensure that the local police are not in a position to indulge in partisanship or connivance of any kind with the residents of the adjacent areas,” the officer said.