Tight security for Australian team

Chandigarh:

In the wake of the firing incident at a tourist bus in Delhi on Sunday, police here have beefed up security measures as the Australian team arrives on Monday to play its first Test against India in Mohali starting October 1.

Tight security arrangements have been put in place as the Australian team will be arriving at Chandigarh airport and later driving down to a five star hotel here where they will be staying.

It will be for the first time that the Australian cricket team would be staying in Chandigarh for a maximum period of 16 days (Sep 20-October 6).

Police sources said that they are not willing to take any chances with the team security and extra forces would be put on duty and vigil heightened to ensure no untoward incident takes place.

In an incident apparently intended to cause terror ahead of Commonwealth Games, two unidentified motorcycle-borne attackers today shot and injured two Taiwanese nationals outside the Jama Masjid in Delhi which was followed by a crude pressure cooker bomb blast in a car in the same area.

Australia is to play a three day practice match against the Board President's XI at Sector 16 cricket stadium here followed by the Test to be played at Mohali.

Meanwhile, officials of the Punjab Cricket Association along with the various working sub-Committees on Sunday reviewed the progress made for various arrangements in connection with the holding of the practice match.

A private security firm has been engaged to do the gate management here and ushering of spectators' to their respective stands. However, Chandigarh Police would be regulating the crowd, traffic and to maintain law and order during the game.