Security beefed up for Kotla ODI

A three-tier security ring has been put in place at the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium in New Delhi for Tuesday's first one-day international cricket match between India and England, turning the newly-renovated ground into an impregnable fortress.

With the Varanasi bomb blasts and subsequent gunning down of terrorists in the capital fresh in their mind, Delhi police is taking no chances and has deployed "several battalions" of central paramilitary forces and RPF to provide fool-proof security at the stadium.

Bomb disposal squads will be stationed at the venue and snipers deployed on rooftops of nearby skyscrapers for keeping a tight vigil. At least 25 CCTVs have been installed inside and outside the ground, including on roads leading to the stadium, to keep a close watch on those coming to the venue.

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Senior police officers today personally took stock of the security situation at the ground and held several rounds of meetings to fine-tune the system, which will mandate spectators to go through three-level checking before entering the ground, sources said.

Bomb disposal squads armed with sniffer dogs have combed the ground thoroughly on the eve of the first match of the series, which is expected to be a full-house affair with all the 40,000 tickets for the event sold out days before.

A battalion of Rapid Action Force has also been deployed to check any crowd violence during the match, police sources said.