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AF attack choppers, elite special forces to guard Afghanistan-Pakistan sportspersons during South Asian Games
Pakistani women athletes arrive at the Guwahati airport to take part in the 12th South Asian Games(PTI)
The games would be a great challenge for the security establishment on the eastern frontier since a terror threat looms large after the attack in Pathankot on the western frontier a month ago.
The 12th South Asian Games, touted as the greatest sporting extravaganza in the SAARC region, are going to start on February 5 in Guwahati and Shillong when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the event. The games would be the first-ever major international sporting event in the Northeast, a region plagued by long sustained insurgency.
The games would be a great challenge for the security establishment on the eastern frontier since a terror threat looms large after the attack in Pathankot on the western frontier a month ago.
More than 5,000 sportspersons, officials and delegates from eight countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, are participating in the games featuring 23 disciplines. Guwahati will host 16 disciplines and men's football while Shillong with host six disciplines and women's football, sources added.
With a terror threat looming large, a multi-layered security arrangement has been put in place. While the state forces of Meghalaya and Assam have been pulled in full strength, Central forces too have been sent in. Indian Army will be conducting area domination operations in the militancy infested areas. Indian Air Force will keep air vigil, and Special Forces will be deployed to provide security to the teams from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"We are aware that there are a lot of countries participating and there is a threat perception. We have done a series of threat analysis and we can say that right now there is no direct threat to the games but we are taking no chance," Mukesh Agarwal, police commissioner of Guwahati, told dna.
IAF transport choppers have been kept ready for emergency evacuation movement of sporting equipment while attack helicopters have been stationed in the region for aerial surveillance over each venue, training facility and hotels. Apart from this, the elite Garud commandos of IAF have been sent in for quick action in case of any potential terror threat, IAF sources further added.
No Fly zones have been declared in Guwahati and Shillong.
The absence of a centralised games village has increased the security challenge since over 100 hotels have been booked for keeping the foreign delegations and sportspersons across Guwahati and Shillong.
While the Paresh Barua led ULFA (I) faction has welcomed the games, other militant groups of the region remained non-committal. But if intelligence sources are to be believed, the threats prospects are from various Jihadi modules active in eastern India.
"In Assam over pat three years several Jihadi modules have been brushed. This shows that terror threat is there. Assam has also witnessed growing interest in ISIS material over social media. Thus a detailed terror threat profiling has been done. All agencies have been roped in" said a senior military intelligence officer.
"We would ensure that the security measure does not over shadow the excitement of common people" said Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/repor...portspersons-during-south-asian-games-2173641
Pakistani women athletes arrive at the Guwahati airport to take part in the 12th South Asian Games(PTI)
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The games would be a great challenge for the security establishment on the eastern frontier since a terror threat looms large after the attack in Pathankot on the western frontier a month ago.
The 12th South Asian Games, touted as the greatest sporting extravaganza in the SAARC region, are going to start on February 5 in Guwahati and Shillong when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the event. The games would be the first-ever major international sporting event in the Northeast, a region plagued by long sustained insurgency.
The games would be a great challenge for the security establishment on the eastern frontier since a terror threat looms large after the attack in Pathankot on the western frontier a month ago.
More than 5,000 sportspersons, officials and delegates from eight countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, are participating in the games featuring 23 disciplines. Guwahati will host 16 disciplines and men's football while Shillong with host six disciplines and women's football, sources added.
With a terror threat looming large, a multi-layered security arrangement has been put in place. While the state forces of Meghalaya and Assam have been pulled in full strength, Central forces too have been sent in. Indian Army will be conducting area domination operations in the militancy infested areas. Indian Air Force will keep air vigil, and Special Forces will be deployed to provide security to the teams from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"We are aware that there are a lot of countries participating and there is a threat perception. We have done a series of threat analysis and we can say that right now there is no direct threat to the games but we are taking no chance," Mukesh Agarwal, police commissioner of Guwahati, told dna.
IAF transport choppers have been kept ready for emergency evacuation movement of sporting equipment while attack helicopters have been stationed in the region for aerial surveillance over each venue, training facility and hotels. Apart from this, the elite Garud commandos of IAF have been sent in for quick action in case of any potential terror threat, IAF sources further added.
No Fly zones have been declared in Guwahati and Shillong.
The absence of a centralised games village has increased the security challenge since over 100 hotels have been booked for keeping the foreign delegations and sportspersons across Guwahati and Shillong.
While the Paresh Barua led ULFA (I) faction has welcomed the games, other militant groups of the region remained non-committal. But if intelligence sources are to be believed, the threats prospects are from various Jihadi modules active in eastern India.
"In Assam over pat three years several Jihadi modules have been brushed. This shows that terror threat is there. Assam has also witnessed growing interest in ISIS material over social media. Thus a detailed terror threat profiling has been done. All agencies have been roped in" said a senior military intelligence officer.
"We would ensure that the security measure does not over shadow the excitement of common people" said Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/repor...portspersons-during-south-asian-games-2173641
