Why so many cops at IPL?

Cricket is heady at Chinnaswamy Stadium during the IPL season. While the IPL stars in the middle of the arena send spirits soaring, there are approximately 1,200 cops in uniforms and mufti deputed at various locations in the stadium to keep the fans under control and ensure that the game goes on without any problem.

The police officials, both law and order and traffic division, claim that they are always short-staffed; so with so many cops in and around the stadium, what happens to the rest of the City on a match day? Is the Bangalore Police prepared to handle any crisis elsewhere?

Figures available with Metrolife confirm that there is a shortage of staff in all the eight law and order divisions across the City. The traffic east and west zones too have a chronic shortage. Even the VVIP security falls short of the required numbers.

The sanctioned strength of police personnel at the Bangalore City Police Commissionerate as on April 11, 2012 (in the east, west, north, south, central, south east and north east divisions put together) is 9,717 and the staff shortage in all these divisions put together is 1176. The sanctioned strength at the traffic east and west divisions together as on April 12, 2012 is 3,260 and the shortage is 273. The VVIP security has 113 personnel but is short by 13.

The maximum shortages are in the head constable and police constable levels. Yet, personnel from these two categories are mostly sent out on duty at various locations in the City during any emergency.   

Additional commissioner of police (law and order) T Suneel Kumar explains that the security at the stadium cannot be compromised with since a large number of people and VVIP turn out at the stadium. Suneel says that the cops meant for the stadium are drawn from police stations from six divisions in the City. “We take 200 men from each division who remain on duty for 45 days until the IPL gets over,” he adds.

When asked why the need for so many police personnel, Suneel explains that are more cops are required at the entrances, especially at the M1, M2 and M3 stands where the ordinary people come in large numbers. “The crowd at these stands are much more than at the other high-end stands. The low-priced stands, what we call the ‘monkey stands’, are where the crowds get restless and sometimes even tend to go out of control. There are roughly three cops per gate. But the stationing of cops depends on the crowd capacity of each gate,” Suneel says.

In addition to cops, there are muftis as well. After the minor bomb blast at the stadium, two years ago, the Bangalore City Police doesn’t want to take any chances. “We have about 75 surveillance cameras within the stadium, anti-sabotage squad of the city police frisking people and randomly checking them, and there are hand-held metal detectors in addition to the detectors on the doors. We need additional police personnel for all the extra precautions we take when there’s such a big event in the City,” explains Suneel.

Suneel points out that services and security are not offered free of charge. “I don’t want to get into the amount but a couple of lakhs are charged as security fees,” he informs.

Bangalore City Police commissioner B G Jyothi Prakash Mirji too points out that only additional police forces are posted at the stadium. “Just because a large number of policemen are posted at the stadium doesn’t mean that we have compromised with the City’s safety. We will move cops around if necessary. The stadium has thousands of people and that is important as well,” he assures.