Cops may ban cell phones inside stadium during WC matches

Mumbai, Feb 20 (PTI) With three matches, including thefinal of ICC World Cup Cricket, slated to be held in themetropolis, which is under the radar of terror outfits, policeare mulling banning mobile phones inside the stadium forsecurity reasons.

The issue came up for discussion during a series ofmeetings held between city police and the match organisers.

ACP (Protection and Security) Madhukar Pandey said thepolice department is considering ban of mobile phones insideWankhede stadium during the matches.

"There is a possibility of not allowing the spectators tocarry mobiles phones with them inside the stadium due tosecurity reasons," he said.

As the financial capital has been under the radar ofterror outfits, there is a possibility that these groups maytry to strike someway or the other, a senior police officersaid.

Police are making elaborate security measures for thethree ties that would be played in the 32,000 spectatorcapacity stadium.

DCP Rajkumar Vhatkar said a multi-layer security will beput in place around two-km radius of the stadium during thematches. Food items will not be allowed inside the stadium andthere would be restrictions on parking areas, he said.

Apart from the city police, State Reserve Police Forcepersonnel and Quick Response Teams will also be deployed inand around the stadium, the DCP said.

On March 13 and 18, New Zealand will play against Canadaand Sri Lanka respectively, while the final would be played onApril 2.

The foreign teams will be staying at Taj hotel, one ofthe sites of 26/11 attack, and Taj Lands End.

"We have taken extensive security measures to ensure thesafety of the players," Vhatkar said.