The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) that has sought permission to conduct the Pepsi IPL 2013 (Season VI) has given an undertaking to the police that none of the Sri Lankan players or officials would be permitted to participate or even witness the matches played in Chennai.
IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla wrote a letter to Commissioner of Police S. George on March 27 stating that in view of the security situation, the IPL Governing Council had written to the nine franchises informing them of its decision that Sri Lankan players or match officials should not participate in the IPL matches in Chennai.
The TNCA undertaking comes in the wake of the letter written by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalaithaa to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the Government of Tamil Nadu would permit IPL matches to be held in Chennai “only if the organisers provide an undertaking that no Sri Lankan players, umpires, officials or support staff would participate in these matches.”
Ms. Jayalalithaa had cited “popular antipathy and anger” in the State against the actions of the Sri Lankan government.
While processing the application for the grant of ‘Public Resort Licence,’ the Chennai Police had asked the TNCA to produce structural stability certificate, Chennai Corporation clearance and Fire Safety approval from the competent authorities.
Elaborate security
An elaborate security scheme has been drawn up for this season’s IPL. Police intend to station camera-mounted vehicles on all roads leading to the M.A. Chidambaram stadium at Chepauk here. At least 1,200 police personnel would be deployed at the stadium and hotels where players/officials stay.
“We will have a control room established in the stadium to monitor activities inside/outside through Closed Circuit Television network. Baggage scanners will be deployed at the entrance to screen the visitors. Police will take over the stadium one day ahead of the match,” a senior police official said.
