A 5,000-strong force of the Maharashtra police and officers of specialised security agencies will be stationed at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium for the ICC cricket World Cup final on Saturday.
Already the area around the stadium, with the sea on one side, has turned into a fortress, bolstered with stringent measures for the coast and air space.
“Preparations of the police are complete. Senior police officers from Maharashtra have been deployed on a large scale. Around 3,000 police personnel will be stationed here as part of the security arrangements. The police have done comprehensive planning for a strict bandobast. The Police Commissioner himself has taken the initiative to keep the spectators safe during the game,” Home Minister R.R. Patil told journalists after reviewing the arrangements at the stadium on Thursday.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik also took stock of the measures.
In addition to the Maharashtra police, battalions of the National Security Guard, the Rapid Action Force and the Central Industrial Security Force have been pressed into service.
Local holiday
The State has declared a local holiday for Mumbai and its suburbs. However, exams will be held on schedule. Mr. Patil appealed to the people to cooperate with the security agencies.
