Chennai: For the first time the security for an Indian Premier League match in Chennai reached an all-time high, thanks to the pro Tamil outfits and Tamil cine stars threatening to agitate against the cricket match scheduled in Chennai on Tuesday.
Chennai city police on Monday late evening cordoned off Chepauk and its adjacent approach roads.
According to city police insiders, a three-tier security arrangement will be in place for the match and more than 3,000 police and private security personnel will be in control of the stadium during the match to prevent any untoward incidents.
“By Tuesday noon all approach roads leading to Chepauk stadium will be made a strict pedestrian zone and those wearing black dress and carrying anti-cricket banners will be frisked,” a police officer said.
“As a precautionary measure, people wearing black coloured dress, those in an inebriated condition will be stopped. Besides, the regular protocol ban on water bottles, non-cricket related flags will continue. Usually the cell phones are allowed, but this time fearing a protest through WhatsApp, the city police will restrict fans from carrying cell phones,” a police source said. Details of those staying in the nearby lodges, mansions located close to the renowned M A Chidambaranar stadium were collected.
A strict no parking rule for vehicles in the stadium vicinity also came in to force. More than 200 police personnel were seen patrolling and taking care of the security arrangements along the roads leading to the stadium, that has a seating capacity for about 45,000 people, sources said.
City police commissioner A.K. Viswanathan and top officials also
reviewed the security arrangements and traffic flow arrangements for Central Chennai. The top brass also directed additional deployment of convoy with armed men for the players during their transit from hotel to the stadium. The adjacent Marina beach famous for the jallikattu protest was also brought under high security area with police intensifying the surveillance in the beach and along the arterial Kamaraj Salai.
