Elaborate security arrangements at Amritsar and Attari

AMRITSAR - Punjab police have made elaborate security arrangements in this holy city to ensure the safety of Commonwealth Games (CWG) Queen’s Baton Relay that will enter India via the Attari border here Friday morning.

“We have increased police patrolling in the area and our officials are keeping an eye on all anti-social elements. I cannot disclose the exact number of police personnel on the baton route, but sufficient number of cops will be available,” Varinder Kumar Sharma, police commissioner, Amritsar, told IANS Thursday.

“We are expecting a huge rush, especially at Company Bagh and Circuit House areas, tomorrow evening. We are in constant touch with security agencies and so far we have not received any kind of threat.”

Cricketer-turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is the local Member of Parliament is happy with the security arrangements made by the local police.

“This is a matter of great pride and we want every individual to be a part of this big occasion,” Sidhu told IANS.

Over 10,000 athletes and officials from 71 Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) will participate in the Commonwealth Games mega-event to be held in Delhi from Oct 3 to 14.

Pakistan Olympic Association Syed Arif Hassan will handover the queen’s baton to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief and chairman of the organising committee Suresh Kalmadi Friday.

By the end of its journey, the baton will have travelled over 190,000 kilometres, through different modes of transport, in 340 days, making this baton relay one of the longest relays in the history of the CWG.

In the past, rockets were fired from the Pakistan side of the border and Border Security Force (BSF), which guards the 553-kilometre long international border in Punjab, had lodged a strong protest with Pakistan Rangers, in this context, at various occasions.

However, this time BSF is sure that there is no threat from the Pakistan side.

“Security at Attari border and in its surrounding areas has been beefed up. We are taking extra care and have issued special instructions to our officials in the wake of tomorrow’s event,” Himmat Singh, BSF inspector general of Punjab frontier, told IANS Thursday.

“There is no threat for this event and we are working in close coordination with local police to avoid any untoward incident,” stated Gill.

Attari border is around 30 kilometres from the holy city Amritsar, which is 250 kilometres from the state capital Chandigarh.