Over 800 Gurgaon cops to secure Dire Straits Experience concert at Leisure Valley

Gurgaon police officials claim that ‘sufficient manpower’ is available for the Dire Straits Experience concert scheduled at 7.30 pm Friday even though a large number of cops are deployed in wake of sentencing in the Maruti Suzuki violence case.

Gurgaon police officials claim that ‘sufficient manpower’ is available for the Dire Straits Experience concert scheduled later in the evening at Leisure Valley Park in sector 29 even though a large number of personnel are deployed in wake of sentencing in the Maruti Suzuki violence case.

Chris White (left) and Terence Reis at a press conference ahead of the Dire Straits Experience concert at Leisure Valley Grounds in Gurgaon on Friday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

“The court verdict is scheduled for afternoon and the event takes place in the evening. A contingent of more than 600 police officials will be present at the venue for crowd management, security of artists and to keep law and order in check,” spokesperson of Gurgaon police said.

Traffic police officials also claimed that over 200 marshalls will be placed around the arterial roads near Leisure Valley Park in sector 29 (the site of the concert) for controlling traffic. The stretch from Kingdom of Dream till the venue will be open for one-way traffic and direction of movement will alter prior to the start of the event and after its closure.

Gurgaon has been familiar with crowd trouble and untoward incidents during public events in the past.

In 2015, during a performance by international musician Skrillex, at the same venue, a 24-year-old girl died due to suffocation near the music stage.

In 2011, after international rock band Metallica cancelled their performance owing to technical difficulties again at the same venue.

A contingent of the 30,000 strength crowd rioted. They damaged the stage, broke barriers and sound systems while also breaking LED screens after throwing chairs and bottles at it.

Similarly, in 2010, the Great Khali was scheduled to appear for a wrestling event at Tau Devi Lal Stadium but had to cancel at the penultimate moment. Owing to his absence, the agitated crowd vandalized the main stage and damaged the stadium.

The Dire Straits Experience concert is scheduled to start from 7.30 pm onwards and organisers are estimating over 35,000 people will be present at the venue.