Mohali wrapped in unprecedented security blanket

Mohali, Mar 29 (PTI) Crack Special Weapons and Tactics
teams (SWT), elite NSG guards and the SPG on Tuesday took
positions at the PCA stadium here in an unprecedented security
cover for Wednesday's World Cup cricket semi-final clash
between India and Pakistan which will be watched by their
prime ministers.
Anti-aircraft guns have been placed at strategic
positions to ward off any aerial threats during the high
voltage match between the arch rivals.
Over 2,200 cops drawn from various districts of Punjab
have also been put on duty to ensure a foolproof multi-layered
security.
Besides Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and his
Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, several dignitories
including from Pakistan will be in attendance.
The elite SWT, which was trained by Israeli experts,
was raised by Punjab Police last year and comprises 40
personnel. The team is trained to deal with terror attacks
like Mumbai carnage in 2008, hostile situations, etc, Deputy
Inspector General of Punjab Police, Khubi Ram told PTI here.
The over 6-feet tall men were the centre of attraction
of a battery of media persons who were outside the stadium as
they trooped in armed with latest automatic weapons.
The SWT force uses AK-47, MP-9 machine guns,
Swiss-made pistols, Austrian Glock 17 pistols, SIG Rifles and
US-made pistols.
Israeli experts trained them in Punjab, Khubi Ram
said.
In addition to the Prime Ministers of the two nations,
hosts of VVIPs, Bollywood stars and business magnates are
coming here to watch the day-night event, dubbed the mother of
all cricket matches.
Fifty canines of the CRPF dog squad also were deployed
in the stadium as part of beefed up security measures.
"We are ensuring foolproof security to ensure that
things pass off smoothly. Traffic diversions have been
effected, but we will try to see that there is minimum public
inconvenience, but they must also cooperate with us," DIG,
Punjab Police, M F Farooqui told PTI here.
A Inspector General rank officer of the State Police
assisted by many DIGs and five SSPs will be incharge of the
security provided by the Punjab police.
Bomb disposal and anti-sabotage teams will also be
part of the enhanced security.
Security agencies also conducted intensive checking at
the hotels here and Chandigarh and verified the identities of
the guests and also conducted a thorough check of their
luggage, police sources said.
This morning, one could see a steady streams of Punjab
police personnel being deployed for duty in and around the
stadium, which has turned into a security fortress.
Multi-layered security has been thrown around the
stadium that including personnel from forces as diverse as the
Special Protection Group, National Security Guard, Central and
State police units.