Police tighten security for India–SA match

Kolkata: The Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata Manoj Kumar Verma, along with Deputy Commissioner (DC), South, Priyabrata Roy, and Joint Commissioner of Police (Jt. CP), Headquarters, Meeraz Khalid, on Tuesday, visited the Eden Gardens to take stock of the security arrangements ahead of the India-South Africa cricket match this week.

According to sources, in the wake of the blast in Delhi, heavy security arrangements have been put in place in and around Kolkata. All police stations and traffic guards have been directed to conduct naka checking thoroughly and to be more vigilant.

According to sources, Manoj Verma held a virtual meeting with officers at various levels. The 25-minute meeting focused on strengthening security measures across the city and ensuring readiness for any emergency.

Verma and other senior officers held a meeting with CAB officials to discuss security arrangements. Following the meeting, the Commissioner of Police, along with senior Kolkata Police officers, visited Eden Gardens for an on-site inspection. After reviewing the arrangements, the CP said: “Comprehensive security measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of the venue, players, and teams.”

Sources informed that a three-layer security arrangement has been put in place for the Eden Gardens. The movements of all the people inside and around the Eden Gardens will be closely monitored. At the entry points, spectators will not only have to go through the metal detector frames but may also face manual frisking using handheld metal detectors and scanners.

Apart from the security at Eden Gardens, police are also checking the list of boarders and the documents provided by them in hotels, guest houses. Security in the tourist places is also tightened to ensure safety. Officers have been asked to keep a close watch on foreign nationals arriving from Bangladesh and Nepal, as well as on seasonal wool traders from Kashmir and Afghanistan who frequent the city during winter.

Naka checking is going on at about 80 places across the city. Police, however, advised the citizens not to panic and to inform them if they notice any suspicious activity or movement.