Amid CAA protests, extra vigil at India-Australia match on Sunday

After anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protesters were spotted in the stands of Wankhede Stadium during the India-Australia ODI, the KSCA has written to the city police commissioner seeking increased deployment of police during the match in the city scheduled on Sunday.

Responding to the request KSCA, city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said there will be additional security checks apart from routine frisking. Instructions have been given to senior police officers to check all those coming to Chinnaswamy Staidum to ensure “no such incidents recur” here.

A senior police officer said cricket fans come to watch the match by paying money and any disturbance by anti-CAA protesters will attract strict action.

“If protests take place, it is also important to provide security to anti-CAA protesters from supporters of CAA at the stadium. To avoid such situations, a strict vigil will be maintained at all the entry gates. We are taking measures to prevent demonstrations during the match. Players should not be distracted by such incidents,” he added.

On January 14, a group of students in the Wankhede Stadium wore tee shirts with slogans against CAA, NRC and NPR. Their protest drew reactions from supporters of the Act. Police intelligence revealed that protesters may take a leaf out of Mumbai students and use the cricket match as a platform, a police officer said.

From pens, coins, tins, cans, musical instruments, to bottles, lighters, flammable, toxic, illegal or hazardous substances, metal containers, firecrackers, fireworks, weapons, motorcycle helmets, bags or any other article which might endanger or unduly annoy any other person are not allowed inside the stadium. Police are unlikely to allow black caps, tee shirts marked with single letters at the stadium.

When DH contacted KSCA, officials neither confirmed nor denied writing to the police.